On 22nd December 2017, six-year-old Poppy was taken to hospital by her mum with a visibly swollen, droopy right eye, which had developed suddenly and worsened over a few days. Following a series of tests and a distressing Christmas period spent in and out of hospital, Poppy was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, or RMS - a rare cancer affecting fewer than 60 children in the UK each year.

In the short time since then, Poppy and her family - mum Kelly, big brother Oliver, 10, and 11-month-old baby brother Rory - have quickly had to come to terms with a new way of life, as Poppy embarks on intensive treatment to attack the tumour. As well as nine rounds of chemotherapy (one every three weeks) and regular radiotherapy, her treatment plan includes an eight-week spell at a hospital in Florida, USA, for a course of proton beam therapy. Currently there are no hospitals in the UK equipped to offer proton beam therapy, although Manchester is due to open one later this year - but this would not be soon enough for Poppy's needs.

Although the family don't yet know exactly when they will need to drop everything and fly to America, it is likely to be in March or April, and they will only get 5-10 days' notice. Poppy's travel and accommodation will be funded, but as both Oliver and Poppy are home-schooled and baby Rory is breastfeeding, mum Kelly needs to find enough money to take both sons with her too. Kelly will also have to contend with loss of earnings, as she has had to stop working to care for Poppy.

As Poppy's doting auntie Steph is one of my oldest and closest friends, I've set up this page to appeal to the kindness and generosity of friends, family and strangers: please dig deep and donate whatever you can to help ease some of the financial strain on Poppy's family at this difficult time. They will be eternally grateful!