AN Erskine dad has issued a desperate appeal for help to save his young daughter as she fights a rare form of cancer.

Three-year-old Rebecca McKenna is battling her way through treatment for stage four, high-risk neuroblastoma.

The illness affects around 100 youngsters in the UK each year and has the highest mortality rate of any children’s cancer.

Now Rebecca’s parents want to raise funds to send her to America for treatment.

Even though she is receiving “very intense” treatment at the Royal Hospital for Children, in Glasgow, her family have been told the chance of her relapsing within two years is as high as 80 per cent.

Mum Victoria and dad Chris have since discovered a drug trial in America which could decrease Rebecca’s chance of relapse and the cancer returning.

And, with the specialist drug not yet available on the NHS, the anxious couple have turned to the public for help in raising £140,000 to pay for treatment and other costs.

Chris, 37, described how Rebecca first fell ill in mid-January after complaining of pain in her left leg and of an inflamed ear.

While the ear problem cleared up after a visit to the doctor, the issues with her leg continued.

Days later, Chris asked Rebecca to run to him when he noticed a limp. Hours later, she couldn’t walk.

After rushing her to the GP, they were referred to the hospital for a series of tests.

Three weeks later, doctors delivered the devastating diagnosis.

Chris said: “Our worst nightmare became reality. We were so shocked, it was like we were in a dream.”

By the time her diagnosis was made, Rebecca’s primary tumours were in her stomach and adrenal glands, just above her kidneys.

The disease then spread to her bone marrow and, later, her bones.

She has had chemotherapy sessions but has fallen ill, so is currently in hospital receiving antibiotics and other medicines.

Chris added: “The treatment she is on is very intense, given over a 12 to 18-month period.

“Rebecca is currently receiving 90 days of rapid COJEC chemotherapy. After that, she will have surgery to remove the main tumour, followed by another round of high-dose chemo, a stem cell transplant and, finally, three weeks of radiotherapy.

“Even after putting her through chemo, countless surgeries and aggressive radiotherapy, the chance of relapse within two years is still high.”

Victoria, 33, was studying other options to save her daughter’s life when she came across a drug trial called DFMO in Michigan.

Chris said: “My wife made contact with families in Scotland who have gone through the same trial. None have relapsed. In one case, a two-year-old who went through the trial is getting on with life at 10. If we didn’t take this option, we’d regret it.”

Even though she is battling an aggressive disease, Chris said many people wouldn’t even know Rebecca has cancer.

“She loves singing and dances when the nurses aren’t around,” he said. “She’s shy when the other kids are in, though.

“If it wasn’t for the fact she has no hair and was hooked up to machines, you wouldn’t even know she was sick.”

Rebecca misses her pals at Bright Stars nursery, in Inchinnan, although the children and staff there are backing her bid to recover.

Chris said: “We all know someone affected by cancer. You would do anything you could to make them well again and we are no different.

“This isn’t the first time cancer has devastated our family and, while we know the loss and pain it can bring, we won’t let it win this time.

“We need any donation, no matter how big or small, to help get Rebecca well again and back to being the bravest little girl we know.”

To make a donation, visit justgiving.com/Crowdfunding/RaiseforRebecca