AN ABERLADY mum has made a plea for people to donate to a fundraising campaign for her five-year-old daughter, who is battling cancer, in the hope of getting her back on a vaccine trial.

Flora Gentleman was first diagnosed with stage four Neuroblastoma, which attacks the body’s nerve cells, in 2021.

People from throughout East Lothian and beyond joined forces to organise a series of fundraising events in aid of Flora to help enrol her on a vaccine trial in New York to help prevent the disease’s return after she had been in remission.

However, last September, Flora’s family were given the devastating news that her cancer had returned.

READ MORE: Family 'devastated' after Flora's cancer returns

The youngster has been undergoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy at the Royal Hospital for Children & Young People in Edinburgh to treat the disease.

Flora’s mum Stephanie Kent revealed in November that treatment had been going well and that there had been a noticeable reduction in the disease.

Stephanie told the Courier at the time that fundraising would likely be required to get Flora back on the New York vaccine trial or a similar trial after her current treatment.

READ MORE: More money may be needed to help East Lothian youngster to beat cancer

Now a campaign has been launched to raise funds to get Flora on a trial after her treatment.

A total of £147,000 is still available from previous fundraising, but more funding will be required to get Flora on the trial.

Stephanie is now asking people for donations.

She said: “Neuroblastoma has proven to us once already how unpredictable it can be.

“Things can change so unexpectedly and in a heartbeat, and we want to be a few steps ahead.

“It’s really important to us to have the finances available to seek further treatment for Flora outwith the NHS, and so we are calling for help once again to fundraise.

“There are a couple of treatment avenues we are currently exploring – all of which will cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

“Thankfully, we still have around £147,000 left over from the previous fundraising campaign, because Flora was not able to finish the vaccine trial in New York due to her relapse. This makes a great starting point.

“In an ideal world, Flora will complete her NHS treatment and reach remission once again.

“In this case, we would want to have the funds available to access maintenance treatment immediately after.

“If remission is not achieved through NHS treatment and Flora’s treatment options dwindle in the UK, we need funds available to access treatment elsewhere.

“There are promising clinical trials happening in both Europe and America that we’re keeping a close eye on.

“I understand there’s a lot of information to digest – it’s just a little taster of what we’re up against, and what decisions we’re having to make as parents.

“There is no right or wrong, no clear path and that is a very scary place to be.

“There is still a lot of uncertainty for us but we are driven by one very special little girl who deserves to live a long and happy life.

“You helped us do this before and I have every faith that you’ll help us once again.”

Donations can be made to Flora’s campaign at solvingkidscancer.org.uk/children/flora or by texting FLORA and any amount up to £20 to 70085.

Flora began a fourth round of chemotherapy last month but will have to wait for more treatment after it was revealed that her portacath was broken. The youngster is awaiting a surgery date to have the device repaired.

A portacath is a small chamber or reservoir that sits under the skin at the end of the central line. The other end of the line sits in a large vein close to the heart.

Stephanie said: “Unfortunately cycle four is over sooner than we had planned. We found out that Flora’s port is broken and therefore can’t be used for treatment.

“It isn’t ideal and we would have loved to have ticked another cycle off the list but we’re just grateful Flora is okay.

“We’re not sure how long we’ll be waiting for surgery to get the port replaced, but here’s hoping it’s soon as we don’t like the idea of long delays in between treatment cycles.”