FAMILY and friends of a little girl fighting cancer are hoping to raise £250,000 in a bid to get vital treatment for her in America.
Florentina Burton, who is just four-years-old, has been diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma.
The illness is a rare and aggressive childhood cancer which has a 50 to 60 per cent chance of long-term survival.
However, it also carries a high risk of relapse which if it happens survival rates drop dramatically.
Florentina is due to undergo surgery on the tumour, which is on her kidney, at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London today.
It comes after eight rounds of chemotherapy and will be followed by further treatment.
But the goal for Florentina and her parents, Amelia and Kevin, is to received a potentially life-saving vaccine in America.
To do this, the family has to raise £250,000 to take Florentina to New York for the Bivalent Vaccine.
It is the only paediatric tumour vaccine in existence and maximises the survival rate in the event of a relapse.
However, Florentina would need seven trips to New York to fully administer the vaccine.
The family from Bocking, has already seen an outpouring of support with more than £70,000 raised so far.
Fundraisers have also been held with more events planned including a fun day at the Bocking Primary School on September 18.
Florentina would have started at the school had it not been for her illness.
Florentina’s aunt Alison Burton, 43, said: “We are hugely grateful as a family for all the support we have received, not only in the donations in the justgiving account, but also by the generous prizes people have donated towards our fundraisers and for also attending and supporting the events.
“Each of the fundraising events we have held, has made us realise how much everybody cares and wants to help.
“We are determined to hit the target for Florentina to get the treatment she needs as she is so far hitting all her targets to beat this aggressive cancer.
“Florentina, her mum, her dad and her new baby sister, inspire and motivate us to keep on with the fundraising.
“The NHS is something the UK needs to be proud of and the staff at GOSH have been amazing with the care and treatment with Florentina.”
To donate visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/florentina-burton
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here