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Thousands Of Carolers Expected Saturday To Grant Wish Of Girl Battling Leukemia

WEST READING, Pa., (CBS) – Just days before Christmas, a Berks County community is gathering to support and grant a young cancer patient's wish.

In May 2013, 8-year-old Delaney Brown, of West Reading, was diagnosed with AML Leukemia.

On Wednesday, her mother posted the following message on the family's website:

"Today we were told the worst news of our lives. Laney has 70% cancer cells in her blood. If they would treat the cancer the virus that she has would kill her. And if they treat the virus the cancer will kill her.

They gave her a couple days to a couple weeks to live.

My heart is breaking. I sit here looking at her face trying to remember every contour of it, I breath deeply ...against her skin trying to always remember her smell. Every time she speaks I try to listen for the different way she says certain words so that I never forget. I keep putting my lips against her warm skin because I never want to forget how that feels. I'm devastated and I'm hoping that I will wake up from this nightmare.

We told Laney and she said she wanted to be the one to tell Kylee and Jacob. She told Jacob that when she's gone he is to be a good big brother to Kylee. And she thanked Kylee for being a great sister and her best friend. They all cried in each other's arms. I have never felt this type of pain in my life.

We will be taking her home on hospice tomorrow and will be trying to let her have as much fun as she can handle. We will watch her blow out her eighth birthday candles knowing that she won't have a ninth. We will also ask Santa to come early this year because Laney has been such a good girl. Please pray for Laney and our family. Please pray for a miracle. We will be spending every second with her till God decides he needs another beautiful angel up in heaven."

With so many people in the community wanting to show their support for Laney, a Christmas caroling event was organized via Facebook for 7 p.m. Saturday night.

Carolers will fill the 400 block of Chestnut Street in West Reading and will sing to Delaney.

Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital released the following statement Thursday on behalf of her family:

"We would like to thank everyone who has expressed love and support for Laney and our family. We are grateful beyond words for the messages of compassion you have shared through social media and other channels. To see the community rally around Laney in the name of cancer awareness means the world to us. That said, we are asking the media and the general public to respect our privacy at this time and in the weeks to come. Our focus is on spending time with Laney and celebrating each moment we have with her. It is impossible for us to respond to the thousands of emails and comments we are receiving, though we will continue to provide occasional updates on the 'Team Laney' Facebook page. Thank you for respecting our wishes at this very delicate time for our family."

As of Friday night, nearly 4,300 people said they would be attending on the event's Facebook page.

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