THE community has helped raise more than £36,000 to help fund treatment for an eight-year-old girl fighting a rare and deadly form of cancer.

A crowdfunding campaign was started by Amelia’s mum Rebecca Russell to raise £150,000 to help pay for an experimental drug treatment for her daughter.

In November 2014, aged six, Amelia was first diagnosed with a neuroendocrine carcinoma in her chest, which is most commonly found in adults over 40.

She was given the all clear in June 2016, but in September, the family were told the cancer had returned and was in Amelia’s bones.

A funding application has been submitted for the cost of treatment at the University College London Hospital. The treatment option being looked at is octreotide with lutetium, which Rebecca says is a rare and expensive treatment.

However, the family’s consultants are unable to tell them how long this process will take regarding the funding.

Rebecca said: “We are still waiting to hear from the Children’s Cancer Fund whether the funding request for Amelia’s treatment at University College London Hospital (UCLH) has been successful.”

Two clinical trials at the Royal Marsden Hospital have now been ruled out after tissue typing tests were carried out on Amelia’s tumour as Rebecca explains: “Both clinical trials have now been ruled out. Unfortunately, the tumour did not exhibit the characteristics required for either.”

Amelia is being given a cycle of chemotherapy and Rebecca says the family are “planning Christmas as best we can”.

Salisbury and District Netball Association are holding a charity tournament on Tuesday at the leisure centre at 7.30pm and will also be doing a raffle with prizes including rugby tickets, gym passes and a bottle of Champagne.

To buy raffle tickets email jammeh7@aol.com.

At Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre a team of nine cycled 100 miles in eight hours raising £279. Harnham After School Club raised £294.50 and Seven Ivy Hairdressing also raised funds.

Rebecca said: “I’ve been overwhelmed by the lengths people have gone to. It’s been incredible.”

To donate go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/rebecca-russell-1?utm_id=69 or see the Fund Raising for Amelia Facebook page.