A campaign to raise £60,000 to help a Newport tot diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer has hit its target after just two months.

Eliza Donnelly was diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma in July. This is a rare cancer of specialised nerve cells, diagnosed in less than a 100 children a year in the UK.

In Eliza’s case the cancer has spread throughout her body, her bones and into her bone marrow which was found to be between 85 and 90% cancer. She was in a huge amount of pain from the growth of a tumour and had to undergo life-saving emergency chemotherapy as her organs started to fail.

Eliza spent most of the summer in Noah's Ark Children’s Hospital where she underwent rapid cojec; an intensive series of induction chemotherapy infusions.

Before Christmas she will undergo one more round of chemotherapy before embarking on exhaustive stem cell treatment in Great Ormond Street and Cardiff.

Her family continues to supplement her treatment with a number of natural therapies including, among other things, strict diet regimes, daily juicing and a host of supplements. They plan a trip to a specialist clinic in Germany to rebuild Eliza’s battered immune system when the next round of treatment is over.

“This regime will have to continue for at least five years post treatment until the chances of relapse had been all but diminished,” said her father, Robin.

“So we haven't chosen the easy option that is now clear, but in my mind it is the only option to help alongside the mainstream extremely aggressive neuroblastoma treatment protocols.”

The local community has rallied to the family’s aid, raising funds raise funds to make the complementary treatments and the Germany trip possible. Events both big and small have included comedy and music nights, a county-wide pyjama day, casino nights and sponsored walks and have raised a total of £60,596.

Any money left over will go to other ill children and their families and towards a new outdoor play area at Glangwilli Hospital.

Although she still has a long way to go, so far the treatment has reduced Eliza’s tumour by 90% and the cancer in the bone marrow down to 1% as well as eradicating it in her bones.

“She has got through it so far very well and is in really good spirits and generally good health. The complementary therapies are paying off well,” said her father Robin. “She has had a good quality of life despite all that has been going on.

“This journey has taken both Eliza and myself to the very brink and back again. It has been fraught with anguish, real pain, desperation, murmurings, flickers of hope and a community spirit bursting into flame with incredible force,” he said.

“We can never thank the local community enough for everything they’ve done for us over the last few months. Thanks them we were able to down tools and focus our full attention on saving Eliza's life.

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are really grateful. It’s been incredible.”