When the doctors at Hadassah Hospital fell silent after reviewing a 9-year-old girl's latest scans last week, her parents knew something had changed.

Three months earlier, Gila had complained of pain – unusual for the soft-spoken child who rarely made a fuss. Within days, the family's world collapsed with a diagnosis no parent is prepared to hear: an aggressive form of cancer, rapidly spreading, and resistant to standard treatments.

Israel's medical options have been exhausted, and Gila's only chance lies with pioneering specialists in Boston who have developed a breakthrough procedure for her condition. The treatment costs $120,000 – an impossible sum for a family supported primarily by her parents’ modest salaries. Click here to help>>>

"We've never asked for anything," says Gila’s mother, who continues working while caring for their six other children. "We've always managed with G-d's help, but this ... this is different."

Gila remains remarkably resilient. She has neatly packed a small suitcase, placing her favorite stuffed animal and a photo of her siblings inside. Readers are encouraged to read a letter from Gila’s father and to make a donation here to help Gila get to Boston.