The family of tot Rebecca McKenna are urging people to give their fundraising appeal a boost after learning their cancer-stricken daughter may need expensive treatment in the US.


Earlier this year, an appeal was launched after Erskine girl Rebecca was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma.


Three-year-old Rebecca received treatment in the UK but the family also set about raising £140,000 to pay for specialist preventative treatment in America, known as DFMO, in a bid to stop the cancer from returning, as this was not available on the NHS.


Now Rebecca’s parents, Victoria and Chris, have issued a further plea to help push the total raised past the £200,000 mark after learning she needs a more expensive treatment from what they had initially thought.


However, with £170,000 already raised and Rebecca finishing her chemotherapy this month, Chris is remaining positive.


“A couple of weeks ago we said we may not need to travel to America but it is now looking highly likely we will still need to make the journey,” he said.


“The treatment we would be looking to have for Rebecca is different from the DFMO we were originally fundraising for and, unfortunately, more money is needed.


“The treatment would be a vaccine trial in New York.


“On the plus side, the bank balance currently stands at approximately £170,000 and rising, so £200,000 plus is a real possibility still.


“We would like to thank everyone who has helped us along the way.”


Over the next few weeks, Rebecca will have stem cells returned to her body, leading to bad side-effects, so a long hospital stay is on the cards.


She will not finish her treatment in the UK until early next year and Chris is hoping other treatment options may become available by then.


He added: “There is so much research in neuroblastoma at the moment something else could become available further down the line.


“We’re roughly halfway through treatment but it’s a big milestone that Rebecca has finished her chemo.”


Neuroblastoma is a rare and aggressive cancer which affects around 100 kids each year in the UK and it has an extremely high mortality rate.