Mullica Hill community rallies around family after daughter is diagnosed with rare bone disease

MULLICA HILL, N.J. - A Gloucester County family was overwhelmed with an outpouring of support from their community after their young daughter was diagnosed with a rare bone disease. 

Ten weeks ago, 5-year-old Mackenzie Stanton became extremely sick and doctors were not sure what was wrong. Mackenzie's mother Robin said her daughter was in a lot of pain and unable to walk and bend over. 

Doctors feared Mackenzie might have cancer, but after a series of tests she was diagnosed with Chronic Recurrent Multi Focal Osteomyelitis (CRMO). The rare and debilitating bone disease meant Mackenzie would need immediate and aggressive treatment.

Her treatments will be intense and include infusions of drugs at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia twice a month. 

Mackenzie Stanton, 5, will undergo aggressive treatments at CHOP after being diagnosed with a rare bone disease.

"Her spine could collapse at any moment and that's what makes it really hard for her," Robin said.

As the Stantons were trying to digest what was happening, their community in Mullica Hill stepped up to rally around the family amid one of their most difficult moments. 

Neighbors, both known and unknown, gathered cards and cash for the Stantons and placed them in a little mailbox on their porch. 

"I wanted them to have hope and feel like they're not alone like there's a sense of community here and we're willing to help," Barbara Scaramellino said.

The Stentons were shocked by the unexpected outpouring of love and support from the community.

"One of the darkest times in our lives to see that there is light and that there is so much love and support I think is just touching," Robin said. "It makes you feel like you're really not alone."

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