A Whitehorse family is banding together to save a Mexican teenager's life.

Carmen Fuentes, nicknamed "Carmelita", is a 16-year-old friend of the family who has been battling leukemia for years.

Recently, Fuentes' family learned that the cost of her bone marrow transplant is estimated at $671,000.

"Who has that kind of money?" said Eva Stehelin during an interview this week. She is spearheading a giant garage sale and fundraiser to save Carmelita's life.

The Fuentes are also fund-raising in Mexico, but the Stehelins are determined to help.

Diagnosed at 13, Fuentes went through more than two years of treatment, starting in 2003. In December 2007, she was informed that the leukemia was in remission. However, after only two months, she relapsed.

A bone marrow transplant was recommended by doctors, but Mexico does not have a donor list.

When Luis, Carmelita's younger brother, and her parents were ruled out as donors, the Fuentes were forced to search internationally for treatment.

"I can't imagine losing a daughter, just because you can't get proper coverage," said Brenda Stehelin-Holland, who will hosting the garage sale this weekend at her home at 46 Redwood St. in Porter Creek. It will be held both Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 9 a.m. both days.

"We have help if we need it; we have the money. Carmelita doesn't," she said.

Stehelin-Holland has met Carmelita a number of times, and describes her as a "sweet thing."

"When she was sick, she would sit in bed and make necklaces for her friends and family," Stehelin-Holland said. "She seems to just have a very good attitude about life."

"She's just a normal kid. She likes to go out with her friends, go bowling, just like anyone else," said Morgane Stehelin-Holland, 18, who just returned from an exchange in Mexico and spent time with Carmelita.

"She has leukemia, but she still gets up every morning at 6:00 to go to school," she said.

Carmelita is a very successful, straight-A student and is studying French and German on her own.

Morgane said the family is having trouble sleeping, and is very tired from this ordeal.

"She was planning to do an exchange to France this year, but then her leukemia came back," said Morgane.

The Stehelins and the Fuentes have a long-standing relationship, going back into the 1980's when Eva's niece Michelle did a Rotary exchange in Satillo, Mexico.

"The neat thing is, we're getting into the second generation now," said Stehelin-Holland.

Since that time, the Stehelins have been doing regular private exchanges, and Eva has hosted 13 Mexican students over the last 14 years.

"All of us went down there when we were teenagers," said Aaron Stehelin, Eva's son.

He enjoyed his year-long exchange so much that he returned there to complete his commerce degree. Their family now has a large network of friends in Mexico, mostly around Satillo, with whom they regularly visit.

Carmelita and her aunt Lupita came to visit last Christmas.

"She's a nice kid. So many kids've got this real rambunctious side. She's just a really well-mannered girl, a nice character," he said.

"It's tough to see Carmelita pulling through this; we're just trying to do our part," he said.

Donations can be made all this week to the Yukon Gallery at 2054 Second Ave.

For more information about Carmelita, call Eva at 633-5242.