A mum from East Lancashire has helped raise more than £33,000 for her daughter with a rare form cancer.

Four weeks ago, Vicky Robayna, originally from Helmshore, took her daughter Elizabeth to A&E as she was experiencing abdominal pain and some bloating.

A day before 16-year-old Elizabeth's admission into hospital, an out of hours GP had suggested it could be due to an ovarian cyst.

But scans had shown tumours on both of Elizabeth's ovaries, multiple in her liver and larger masses in her stomach and abdomen.

Vicky said: "At the time an ovarian cyst and surgery felt like the end of the world.

"Little did we know that less than 24 hours later we would receive a call telling us that she had cancer.

"As we rushed around contacting Elizabeth’s school, we consoled ourselves with the statistic that 90 per cent of teenagers with cancer survive.

"This was but a temporary blip on the horizon that we would battle through together as a family."

However, three days later, the family learnt Elizabeth’s cancer is in fact a rare and aggressive sarcoma named desmoplastic small round cell tumour.

The cancer is so rare there are only 12 cases, of which 80 per cent of which are in males, per year in the UK.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumour does not have a set treatment protocol because no-one has found a treatment that works.

Only 15 per cent of those diagnosed with the form of cancer survive beyond five years.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Vicky said: "Our world was torn apart yet again. In the last four weeks things we previously thought were important no longer seem so.

"Our sole priority now is to give Elizabeth the best possible chance of being in that 15 per cent whilst ensuring we make the most of every single day we have.

"The future is far from certain, and whilst we may not be able to give Elizabeth the future she has dreamed of, we are determined to give her the best possible life for however long she has left."

Vicky said the family thought 'long and hard' about setting up a fundraiser for Elizabeth, but wanted to raise funds to consult with a specialist in Elizabeth’s cancer in America in the hope that she will work alongside consultants in the UK.

Elizabeth’s cancer is said to not always respond to standard treatments, and in almost all cases it becomes resistant to them over time, as the tumours often grow back much more quickly and aggressively.

The American specialist is believed to be spearheading research and is involved in setting up clinical trials, and Elizabeth does not need to travel to America to see her as she offers remote consultations with consultants abroad.

But it costs around £5,000 per appointment, including a review of the latest scans and testing her UK consultant has.

If funds were raised beyond this, Elizabeth would like to purchase photography equipment as her dream is to become a professional photographer.

The family would also like to make sure Elizabeth has as many 'memorable moments' as possible, so she can have incredible experiences and so her friends and family get to store as many memories of her as possible.

The GoFundMe page is now at £33,686, after setting a target of £25,000.

Vicky continued: "We are absolutely blown away by the response. We cannot believe the kindness and generosity of so many people.

"Although in normal circumstances we would have encouraged Elizabeth to save for what she needed, our normal rules flew out of the window about the same time as her diagnosis flew in. 

"Lots of people asked us how they can help, or what they can buy for Elizabeth to make the best possible difference to her, both those we know and love and those we have never even met.

"Every penny that we raise above our target will go directly to making sure that Elizabeth makes as many incredible memories as possible.

"As we have sat in hospital today just over a week after the fundraiser for Elizabeth started, we feel so much gratitude.

"Those who know Elizabeth have brought fresh joy to every day with personal messages and memories of her.

"We are equally grateful to those we have never met who have reached into your hearts and taken us in as.

"And though in the future we will try to pay the kindness we have been shown forward, we will never be able to thank you as individuals enough."