The parents of a cancer-stricken school girl must raise more than £350,000 in a month for her treatment.
Aggressive tumours will kill nine-year-old Mackenzie Furniss unless she can receive pioneering immunotherapy in Germany.
The £350,000 treatment for rare cancer neuroblastoma is not available in the UK and Mackenzie’s mother and father, Kimberley and Jason, have to raise the cash.
They have already collected £35,000 but remain well short of the target with just a few short weeks before Mackenzie is due to fly to Germany.
Kimberley, who lives in Sauchie, Clackmannanshire, with her husband and three children, explained: “The treatment in Germany is at a trial stage. The UK is meant to be doing a similar trial next year but we can’t wait that long.
“At the moment there is absolutely nothing the UK can do for her, so you’re kind of up against a brick wall. As much as doctors want to do something, they just can’t.
“They’ve got an opening in Germany next month and if we don’t make that one there’s no telling when the next will be.”
Mackenzie was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, which attacks the nervous system, in 2009. Only 100 cases occur in the UK each year. After four years of treatment and a brief recovery, she relapsed in 2012.
Now her only hope is expensive immunotherapy treatment, which can boost her chance of survival from 5% to 80% and saved 11-year-old Vanessa Riddle, of Ayrshire, who is now cancer-free.
Mackenzie’s mother Kimberley said: “So far we have £35,000 out of £350,000. We’re so grateful to everyone who has donated so far, but the money is simply not going up as significantly as we need it to.
“We’re panicking but we try not to let Mackenzie see that, because then she’ll start panicking. She realises she could die but she’s a fighter and we’re determined to beat this.
“I know that Vanessa Riddle had quite big donations from companies. We’re hoping that big donors now come forward for us.”
Mackenzie’s family’s fundraising efforts are supported by the Neuroblastoma Children’s Cancer Alliance UK (NCCA).
Established in 2006, the charity has helped 21 children access treatment that is only available abroad, while also backing research to bring new treatments to the UK.
Chief executive of the NCCA UK Bettina Bungay-Balwah said: “It’s so important now that people really get behind Mackenzie’s appeal there is not a moment to lose.”
To volunteer or find out more contact the community fundraising team at NCCA UK on 020 7284 0800. To contribute to Mackenzie’s treatment, visit www.justgiving.com/Appeal4Mackenzie.