FORT MYERS, Fla. - A Collier County family hoped stem cells would save their daughters life, but now it's too late, and the little girl is fighting for her life. I first met Melanie Canete in March. She was sick, but was able to be at home. Just two weeks after my interview, she was hospitalized. Two months later she's still there and in desperate need of a lung transplant.

"We're living hour by hour right now," said Elisa Canete, Melanie's mom.

For the past two months, every minute of Elisa's life has been spent at Southwest Florida's Children's Hospital.

"We're more than nine weeks now," Elisa said about how much time they've spent in the hospital.

Elisa and her husband stay by their daughter's bedside in the intensive care unit. Their daughter Melanie is dying. The 6-year-old has a bacteria infection affecting her lungs. Only 34% of her lungs work. "It's horrible. It's a nightmare," Elisa said.

The first time I met Melanie was March 10th. Then the little girl was full of energy, telling me about her favorite singer. "I love Hannah Montana," she said. Her life dream. "When I grow up, I'm going to be a rock star," Melanie fantasized. But now this future rock star can't sing or even speak. Breathing tubes help keep Melanie alive, but makes it difficult to talk.

Melanie has been fighting the infection since she was born. Her family harvested stem cells from the umbilical cord of Melanie's little sister, hoping it would help repair her lungs, but it can't. "We have no more time to wait for that, unfortunately," Elisa said.

Melanie's condition has deteriorated and the family says she needs a lung transplant now. "She's not going to make it so long," Elisa said.

A hospital in North Carolina may come through with a transplant, but even if it does, Melanie has only a 50% chance to survive because she's so young.

"We understand we're not going to see her grow. But at least smiling for a while, that's all we want," Elisa said about her daughter.

The Canete's haven't gotten Melanie on the transplant list yet.

They hope to have her on the list within the next few weeks.

You can learn more about the family on their website: www.melaniecanete.com