Family reaches £110,000 target to fly dying cancer-stricken girl home

Generosity: More than £110,000 has been raise in the hope of bringing the youngster home.

More than £110,000 has been raised to bring a cancer-stricken girl stranded in Mexico home to Scotland before she dies.

Olivia Downie, from Fraserburgh, was diagnosed with stage four Neuroblastoma three years ago - an aggressive form of childhood cancer that attacks the nervous system and can affect the lungs, skin and brain.

Her family raised thousands of pounds in order to fly her out to Mexico for "last ditch" treatment in a bid to save the youngster. That treatment has now failed and her family wish to get Olivia back to Scotland before she dies.

Following her first cycle of treatment, seven-year-old Olivia took a turn for the worse and doctors are now refusing her permission to fly back to Scotland without specialist medical support.

Charity Families Against Neuroblastoma - who arranged the Downie's trip - has told STV they can fly the family home for £65,000.

In addition to the flight cost, however, the family will still have to pay £24,000 for the clinic treatment in Mexico and a further £20,000 for hospital treatment - bringing the total to nearly £110,000.

This total has now been reached with £96,000 of the money being donated in the last 36 hours.

On Thursday morning, the total on the youngster’s fundraising website stood at less than £15,000.

Following an emotional appeal by her family, however, it has jumped to in excess of £110,000 with more than 5500 kind donations.

Olivia’s mother Lauren said: "Where we are we don’t get internet access but we have had a few phone calls telling us. It just shows how kind folk can be and how Olivia has opened people’s eyes to the seriousness of the situation and how caring and supportive the community has been. I don’t expect any numbers to rise and I’m really shocked at that amount.

"It helps us to know there are people at home waiting for us and they want us to come home and they are showing a lot of human compassion for Olivia."

Speaking on Wednesday night, her father Stephen Downie said: "We’re just devastated. We came with so much hope, this was kind of the last throw of the dice for us but we came with hope because we know a family this treatment has worked for and then this happened, which was nothing to do with the treatment I don’t believe, it was just one of these things I think.

"[To get her home] it would mean the whole world, it would mean everything."

Back in the couple’s home town a local councillor praised the generosity of those who had donated to the cause.

Fraserburgh and District councillor Brian Topping added: "It is overwhelming, the kindness and compassion of people. Fraserburgh and the villages around about have always been generous for a worthy cause. It is fantastic to say the least the generosity of people in the town, the surrounding area and now the nation as a whole."

It is currently unclear when Olivia will be able to fly home as doctors continue to work to stabilise the youngster who is currently on life support.

To help Olivia go to her JustGiving page.

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