HILO, Hawai'i — A Kailua, Kona family has set up a bank account to receive donations for a 4-year-old girl who is undergoing cancer treatments on O'ahu. The donations would go toward the cost of care and travel for the girl and the family members who accompany her.

Dan and Charlene Mersburgh learned in March their youngest daughter Ruth has Neuroblastoma Stage IV, and since then the child has undergone five surgeries, seven rounds of chemotherapy and a long list of other inpatient and outpatient medical procedures.

Charlene gave up her job to accompany Ruth on her trips to O'ahu for treatments, while Dan cares for the couple's other children, Thomas and Rebekah, in Kailua.

The couple has been making ends meet through donations, fundraisers, garage sales, poker tournaments and silent auctions, but has struggled to cover medical costs and the cost of airfare back and forth from the Big Island.

The family has arranged for monetary contributions to be accepted at all First Hawaiian Bank branches throughout the state. Checks may be payable to "Friends of Ruth Mersburgh."