MIAMI -- The International Kids Fund is hoping the community will contribute to a campaign to help a Haitian child whose face is horribly disfigured by a huge tumor.

Marlie Casseus desperately needs life-saving surgery that will cost more than $95,000. The huge tumor has taken over Marlie's entire face. It weighs 16 pounds, and is larger than Marlie's head. Only her eyes, nostrils and a tooth can be recognized in her swollen face.

Image: Marlie Casseus (Warning, Image May Be Disturbing To Some Viewers)

Her doctors said that the growth of the tumor has affected Marlie's sight and her ability to eat and breathe.

Marlie does not have medical insurance and her family cannot afford the cost of the treatment. In addition, since she is not a U.S. citizen or resident, Holtz Children's Hospital, part of the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, is prohibited by law to tap into publicly funded resources to treat her.

The IKF seeks to provide medical care to needy children from Latin America and the Caribbean who suffer from life-threatening illnesses that cannot be treated in these children's countries.

Thanks to the IKF and the support of the community, hundreds of children have received expert attention from medical specialists at Holtz Children's Hospital, considered one of the top pediatric clinical research centers in the United States and the largest in Florida.

The IKF is entirely funded by donations from the general public and private organizations.

To make a donation to help with the cost of Marlie's surgery send a check or money order to:

International Kids Fund
Re: Marlie Casseus
P.O. Box 012297
Miami, FL 33101

For more information, call (305) 585-5888 or (877) IKF-KIDS (453-5437).