THE family of a two-year-old battling a rare and aggressive cancer has received support from around the world.

Breya Ward’s parents are hoping to raise £250,000 to send her to the USA for pioneering treatment which could save her life.

A fundraising campaign - which is being supported by the Gazette - has already collected almost £65,000 and Breya has received support from as far away as New York, Texas and Vietnam.

Breya’s dad, Ollie Ward, is a sergeant in 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, based in Colchester, which has also been widely supporting her campaign.

A message of support was posted on the regiment’s Facebook page while on a training exercise, in Wiltshire, while fundraisers are also planned in Vietnam and in the USA.

Closer to home, St Michael’s Primary School is also planning a cake sale and non-uniform day to raise money, while family friends are also planning a skydive and a boxing event in Hull.

Breya’s mum Holly Robinson, 28, who lives off Berechurch Hall Road, said: “It has been absolutely amazing. There is no way we expected this amount of support.

“It started out with friends and family pledging money and and now when we read the names of people who have donated, we don’t know half of them.”

She added: “If we have had a bad day, we sign on to see all the messages of support and it is a huge comfort.

“We can’t believe how generous people have been - there has been one person who donated £1,000 anonymously so we can’t even thank them.”

Breya has now finished her second bout of chemotherapy and doctors say she may be able to go home between cycles in the future and may even be able to spend a few days at home this weekend.

Miss Robinson, a freelance personal assistant, added: “She’s been so good with this round because it really hit her last time, but she’s been up watching her favourite films, Finding Nemo and Finding Dory.”

Doctors have initially placed Breya on a two-year clinical trial treatment programme, which experts hope could fight off the aggressive disease.

But any delay in her treatment will mean she is not eligible to continue in the trial.

If needed, the money will be used to pay for pioneering immunotherapy treatment Anti-GD2, which is not freely available in the UK.

Breya was diagnosed with the rare cancer last month and has been treated at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge since.

Her parents have been given accommodation at the hospital.

To donate to Breya’s cause, go to gofundme.com/teambreya and to find a fundraiser, search Facebook for ‘Breya’.

Any money which is not needed will be donated to Cancer Research UK.

Anyone wanting publicity for a fundraising event can contact the Gazette on 01206 508478.