The holidays have been a sad time this year for the Sudol family from Petersburg, Cape May County. On Thanksgiving, Khloe Sudol, 9, the youngest of the family's three children, began throwing up blood and needed to be transported to St. Christopher's Hospital in Philadelphia.

Khloe was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease, hemolytic uremic syndrome, which caused her kidneys to fail. Doctors say she will need a kidney transplant when she is stronger.

More than two weeks later, Khloe remains at St. Christopher's with her parents, Heather and Stan, rotating nights in the hospital bed next to her, while the other stays at the Ronald McDonald House nearby.

Doctors tell the Sudols that Khloe needs dialysis and a restrictive low-sodium diet and will have to remain on the medication fighting the autoimmune disease for the rest of her life.

The Sudol family is fortunate that Stan, a corrections officer, has good insurance. Khloe's medication costs $26,000 a week.

Still, the family will almost certainly be facing additional expenses, including buying a vehicle capable of offering them safe transportation to and from the hospital three times a week when Khloe is well enough to return home.

Heather Sudol, who understandably sounds a little overwhelmed, hasn't had time to figure out how everything will work, but is determined it will. "It my job now to make sure Khloe gets the best care and gets well."

Khloe's fourth grade classmates at Upper Township Elementary School have been sending cards and best wishes and friends and family are visiting and helping with the family's two teenagers back at home.

Heather Sudol asks that you keep the family in your thoughts and pray for Klhoe's strength to improve. Although still anemic, she is now spending some time walking and has been asked by St. Christopher's to help with the hospital tree lighting this week.

A relative has set up a GoFundMe page to help the Sudol family with expenses. As of this writing, over $10,400 had been donated. Click here to see more and donate.

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