Appeal to raise money for 'unbelievable' girl

More than £10,000 has been raised to help a four-year-old girl with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

Hallie-Mae, from Bayston Hill in Shropshire, was diagnosed with the cancer of the blood and bone marrow at the end of November.

She is due to undergo six months of treatment at Birmingham Children's Hospital, including chemotherapy and an expected stem cell transplant.

The fundraising campaign aims to raise funds to support her family during that time.

Hayley Formstone, Hallie-Mae's aunt, set up the appeal and said every donation would make "a huge contribution to lessening the burden the family are now facing".

"This is helping us keep our family strong when we need it most," she added.

She said any money left over would go to charities which have supported Hallie-Mae.

Her mother, Sophie, said: "Hallie-Mae's diagnosis has hit us all like a sledgehammer, it came completely out of the blue and we have been catapulted into unknown territory and a great deal of uncertainty."

But she said the determination shown by her daughter was "unbelievable" and she described her as a "real warrior".

"Her positivity is infectious" she said.

A charity football match, organised by Gareth Parry, former manager of Bayston Hill FC, will be staged on Saturday in Bayston Hill to raise further funds.

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