BOISE, Idaho — The parents of a three-year-old little girl and her doctor are asking for the community's help. Jane Fitle has a rare disorder called Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis or LCH, which is a form of cancer.
Jane and her family live on base in Mountain Home where her dad, Kyle Fitle works as a pilot in the Air Force.
"I fly the F-15 Strike Eagle," Fitle said. "We have been stationed here for about two and a half years and I love what I do. I am very thankful I get to serve this country.
Fitle and his wife, Madison, brought Jane to Dr. Adrian Curnow in Boise earlier this year because she was feeling unexplained pain.
"She came in a couple months ago with a lot of pain deep inside," Dr. Curnow said. "She would just scream if somebody picked her up."
After a series of tests, Jane was diagnosed with LCH.
"When you see her courage, she actually pulls us, her parents, she pulls us along because she is so positive and she is a fighter," Dr. Curnow said.
Dr. Curnow added that conventional treatment for LCH is chemotherapy.
"Some of the side effects of chemotherapy are infertility, lung damage and increased risk for other malignancies later in life like Leukemia," Dr. Curnow said.
Thanks to recent research, scientists and doctors developed a new cutting edge treatment for LCH in the form of a daily pill that is a better alternative than chemotherapy.
But the treatment doesn't work for everyone with LCH, which is why Jane needs a specific test to find out if it will help.
"The insurance has been great and we are very grateful to have it but this specific test that they want to do isn't covered and it is $7,500," Fitle said.
A family friend has started a GoFundMe for the Fitles and Dr. Curnow says an anonymous friend will match dollar for dollar what the community raises, up to $1,000.
"We want to try and get this so we can get this test done this week and move forward with her treatment in a scientific way so we know what she is getting is best for her because we know her family is doing what is best for us," Dr. Curnow said. "They are serving our country, they are protecting our freedoms."
"It would give us hope that this medication will work and we won't have to do a years’ worth of chemotherapy and steroids," Fitle said.
If you would like to contribute toward the Fitle's GoFundMe, click here.
Gretchen Parsons is an anchor, reporter and producer at KTVB since 2016. You can follow her on Instagram @gretchenparsonsKTVB or @gretchenKTVB on Twitter.