Mackenzie Newsome's Surgery Scheduled for Wednesday

Melissa Newsome said many of her friends and her daughters supporters wanted to come to Boston for the surgery Wednesday, but with the surgery scheduled to take between 12 and 16 hours, Melissa said she doubts the family will be up for a crowd.

"We had a whole team ready to come and fight for us," said Melissa Newsome. "Michael said I'm just not going to feel like talking that day.

Mackenzie Newsome, 3, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in her chest that crowded her organs, causing her pain and a host of medical symptoms.

Because of its type and the variety of symptoms that got more serious as 2011 progressed, it appeared to have been difficult to diagnose.  It wasn't until Feb. 28, 2012, that physicians at Yale New Haven's Children's Hospital saw the real culprit, a rare type of cancer attached to her aorta and heart.

In Wednesday's surgery, physicians will shave down the tumor to remove as much of it as possible. It can't be removed as a whole, because it is attached to the heart and aorta, Melissa Newsome said.

Two surgeons at Boston Children's Hospital will work together on it, a thoracic surgeon and a general surgeon.

Melissa Newsome said one of her surgeons said Mackenzie's cancer is so rare, he's only seen it once before. After the surgeons remove as much of the tumor as they can, Mackenzie will start to undergo chemo and radiation treatments.

"She still has more of a battle to fight," Melissa Newsome said. "If you didn't know she had cancer, you wouldn't know. She has so much energy."

The family just returned from Sesame Place in Pennsylvania and Mackenie was running all over the Seseme Street theme park. Mackenzie was given a trip to Disney World by the Make a Wish foundation, but Melissa said that trip can wait until she's older.

"We signed her up for pre-school in the fall," said Melissa Newsome, who said she has good days and bad days. "We've had a lot of positives, and Mackenzie is ready for her surgery."

Since Mackenzie's plight became public, thousands of people have helped the family with well wishes, prayer and the medical expenses.

One internet team reached 158 members who said they'd go to Boston on the Facebook page Cards for Mackenzie Newsome. The page is really designed to create cards and well-wishes for the child.

Dozens and dozens of Danbury-area companies, groups, clubs and people came together to raise money for the family when it faced early financial problems. For a near-complete list of groups that raised money for the family, check this story.

Another Facebook page, A Prayer for Mackenzie Newsome, lists 2,727 supporters.