A BRAVE Erskine girl who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer has returned from America after completing groundbreaking treatment.
Five-year-old Rebecca McKenna was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2018 and has since endured two-and-a-half years of treatment, including surgery, a stem cell transplant, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Over the past year, she has made six trips to New York to receive a special vaccine that is not available on the NHS and is believed to help decrease the chance of a relapse.
Following her latest scans, doctors have given her the all-clear, leaving parents Chris and Victoria delighted.
And Rebecca reached a landmark in her recovery last week when she had her seventh and final vaccination, as well as her last bone marrow procedure.
As a reward for her courage, Victoria took her to Times Square to buy some well-deserved toys.
The family’s final trip to the US for treatment had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with Victoria having to anxiously wait for a new visa for herself and Rebecca.
Now, in messages posted on their RaiseforRebecca campaign page on Facebook, Chris and Victoria have thanked those who helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for their daughter’s medical costs.
They also shared a photo of a banner made for Rebecca on her return to Erskine, which was placed on a footbridge along with a US flag and read: ‘Welcome home Rebecca, final treatment complete.’
The family said: “Thank-you so much to everyone who has supported us along the way of this nightmare of a journey.
“We know it’s not the end and we know Rebecca will be getting checked for the rest of her life. But this is a huge milestone.
“Without you, we wouldn’t have our beautiful daughter with us today.”
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