Fake crowdfunding site for Sackville girl battling leukemia angers family

While one-year-old Marlie Curwin, from Sackville, is battling acute myeloidleukemia,afake fundraising page has beencollecting money in her name.

"I've been so angry today that I've been shaking and I've got half a headache from clenching my teeth," said Alison Butcher,Curwin's cousin.

Butcher said the fraudulent site was discovered by accident, when a family member decided to GoogleMarlie'sname.

The Gofundmepage claimed to be raising money for Marlie Curwin and had many ofthe details right, including the factthe little girl needsa bone transplant, isbeing treated at the IWK hospital in Halifax and her extendedfamily israising money to help her mother withthe financial costs of having a sick child.

Someone claiming to be a Curwin cousin, living in Sackville, has raised $250,but no one knows who is actually collecting that money. The real pagehas raised more than $10,000 to date.

"Who chooses a sick child as a way to make a profit for themselves?" Butcher said.

The fake Gofundmepage was taken down on Tuesdayafter the family reported it, but it left the family shaken.

"Someone out there is trying to rain on our parade," said Butcher.

"Someone is trying to ruin an amazing, amazing thing that is happening out there right now ...This is a good thing that's happening and this is going to be a good ending."

So far, fourblood drivesand cheek swabbing events have been held in the area,in the hope of findinga lifesaving bone marrow match.Close to 200 people have signed up to be bone marrow donors,but no match has been found yet.

There are more events planned for Fredericton, Miramichi and in Nova Scotia asMarlie'sfamily continues to look for a solution that will save the little girl's life. Butcher says there is no reason to give up hope.

"Every once in a while I hear about the statistics and I don't like to think about those statistics because we're not a statistic, Marlie is not a statistic and she will be fine."