A four-year-old girl given only a miniscule chance of survival from an aggressive form of cancer has successfully managed to win her battle with the disease.
Young Isla Caton was told by doctors that there was only a four percent chance that she would survive after she was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma back in March 2017.
However, since then she has undergone a new course of treatment in Barcelona that involves both chemotherapy and antibody combination. Despite being fourth on the list for the treatment, the specialists eventually ruled that she was the fittest person on the list.
That made her the first person in the world to undergo this treatment. It has been a great success.
Isla's mum, Nicola, has spoken of her joy at realising that her young daughter had won her battle. She also hopes that their story will offer hope and encouragement to other people suffering from cancer, as well as their relatives.
She told the Metro: "When we got the all clear, I just burst into tears, it was the best day of my life. It still hasn't sunk in, to be honest."
None of this would have been possible without money raised via a crowdfunding effort. Football fans from bitter rivals West Ham United and Millwall came together to help raise £500,000 to fund Isla's treatment.
Their efforts were also helped by celebrities like Danny Dyer and James Corden, as well as the Bradley Lowery Foundation, established after the tragic death of six-year-old Bradley from Neuroblastoma in 2017.
Nicola has said that other parents in similar situations should consider crowdfunding as an option if the treatment that is required isn't currently available on the NHS.
However, she also urged parents to check the scientific viability of the treatment before jumping to it. Nicola continued: "I think people have to make sure that the treatment is taking place in a hospital.
"But there are a lot of options out there not available on the NHS. I was told to take my daughter home and make her comfortable.
"But we kept going."
Isla's fight is not completely over just yet. The latest tests show that she is cancer free, but more treatment is needed to ensure that it does not return.
That treatment will consist of two more rounds of chemotherapy, another antibody treatment, and a vaccine to attempt to stop the cancer coming back.
Her parents hope that once she's home, she will be able to enjoy a normal life.
Her mum added: "Hopefully we'll return home and be able to start thinking about things like school.
"I just want her to enjoy everything that other children do now."
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