FOXNews.com: Teenager fighting bone cancer falls victim to hoax

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Teenager fighting bone cancer falls victim to hoax Sep 11th 2012, 12:01 A Washington teenager fighting bone cancer was the victim of a hoax by a woman who appears to have been trying to get closer to the star of the television series 'The Deadliest Catch,' q13fox reported.  The teen's mother says a woman who stepped up and offered to pay for his treatments has mysteriously vanished after stringing the family along for weeks. Thomas Doty, from Maple Valley, Wash., was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer called osteosarcosis three years ago.  His family went bankrupt paying for his treatments – including several tumor removal surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy.  None of the treatments were successful, prompting doctors to recommend the family seek out alternative options, which can cost up to $250,000. In order to help the Dotys pay for these treatments, family friend Johnathan Hillstrand, the captain of the "Time Bandit" on the TV show "Deadliest Catch, made a video urging others to donate.  Soon after, a woman who identified herself as 'Jonica Ellis' emailed the family and said she would cover the cost of Thomas's treatments. "'Within a day of Johnathan coming out here, I received an email from a woman who said, 'I am filled with compassion for your story, I cannot believe what you`ve gone through... and just said I just want you to know that within 7-10 days you`re going to receive a check,'" Tiffany Doty, Thomas's mother, told q13fox.  Over the next few days, Ellis sent flowers to Thomas, and a copy of a bank statement saying a cashier's check in the amount of $250,000 had been processed. But the money never came, and Ellis's phone and email address were canceled.  However, she continued to assure the family the money was on its way.  Ellis also kept in contact with Hillstrand, trying to start a relationship by claiming she helped save Thomas. "I think she is somebody who is an obsessed fan, if you want to call her that," Doty told q13fox. Meanwhile, the Dotys turned down other offers from people, not wanting to take money they didn't need.  Now, Ellis has disappeared – and Thomas's health is declining. "We have lost the last 5 weeks of his life with somebody who chose to play games with his life," Doty said. "And he doesn`t have time for that anymore." To donate to Thomas's family, visit HealThomas.com. Click for more from q13fox.

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