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Garage Sale Proceeds Going to Mom Fighting Leukemia

 Jackelyn Barnard  Dave Wax     Created: 8/7/2009 1:30:51 PM    Updated: 8/7/2009 1:30:51 PM
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JACKSONVILLE, FL -- On Terrie Sanfilippo's hospital room wall is a collage of pictures. There are pictures of her three boys. There is also an ultrasound picture of her grandson, who arrives in a couple of weeks.

Chances are Terrie won't meet her first grandchild face to face for a while. That's because the hospital is her home right now.

"It's a roller coaster ride. I still get depressed. I don't sit here and say 'poor me, poor me' because that's not gonna make me better," she says.

The roller coaster ride for the mother of three started in January. Terrie went in for a check-up for her migraines, but some of her bloodwork came back abnormal.

"My doctor calls me and says, 'We need to see you in the office Monday morning.'" Terrie was diagnosed with a rare type of Leukemia which progresses rapidly.

Chemo started right away and now Terrie spends weeks at a time in the hospital getting around-the-clock treatment.

"I got people praying in over 13 states, even all the way to Germany. The only way I'd get through this is the good Lord's help and my friends," Terrie says.

Terrie is referring to her friend Jennifer Allen. "Terrie is a genuine, caring person."

Allen has collected a garage full of clothing and furniture to sell at a garage sale to help Terrie pay some of her bills.

You see, not only are the medical bills mounting, but Terrie was also recently laid off from her job. "It's a hard time for everybody. Some people can't give cash, but everybody has something in their garage or guest room they don't use," says Allen.

People Terrie doesn't even know have donated what they can to help out. "That's overwhelming."

Terrie's focus right now is meeting that first grandchild of hers and getting through her final three-week round of chemo. "I'm trusting the good Lord it's gonna work." If it doesn't, a bone marrow transplant is next.

The garage sale for Terrie Sanfilippo is Saturday, August 8, from 8 a.m. until everything is sold.

It's located at 693 Lockwood Lane. That's in the Durbin Crossing subdivision in Julington Creek Plantation.

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