Paras' 10 fundraisers set to help brave Breya battle on with £70k vaccination

Breya Ward was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancerous tumour which had taken over her stomach in January last year.

She has undergone a number of courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as a major operation.

But the three-year-old, who lives with mum Holly Robinson and dad Ollie Ward, a sergeant with the Second Battalion of the Parachute Regiment in Colchester, knows the chances her Stage 4 neuroblastoma recurring are high and her best chance to prevent a relapse is through a vaccine therapy trial, administered in New York.

It is hoped she can begin the treatment in May.

Bosses at the Parachute Regiment charity Support Our Paras now hope to raise £70,000 to go towards the trial by offering a discount to entrants to the gruelling Paras’ 10.

The annual race, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 20, sees participants complete a ten-mile route while carrying a fully-packed 35lbs rucksack.

Anyone who decides to take on the challenge for Breya will be entitled to a special £25 entry fee, instead of the regular £39.

Natalie Urbaniak, a spokesman for Support Our Paras, said: “Team Breya is getting in ahead of any relapse.

“Her parents and Support Our Paras will work in partnership to make it happen.

“Breya is closer than ever to this vital help – just three months to go - but we need your support to send her off to New York in May, and the Paras’ 10 in Colchester is perfect timing.”

At the moment, the charity has raised about £35,000.

She added there was no hesitation for the organisation to back the brave three-year-old.

She added: “Ollie is one of our own and that makes Breya one of our own.

“We are the regimental charity for the Parachute Regiment and in our eyes and in the community’s eyes, there should be no question that we would rally behind Breya.

“There is so much incredible support for her out there and we are only a small part of that.”

She added: “I am sure so many people are so familiar with her story.

“We all feel we have been on that journey with her.

“There is no way we can ever know what Holly and Ollie are going through but we all really feel a part of her journey and we are determined to get her to the end of it.”

To donate to the Support Our Paras fundraising, go to mydonate.bt.com/events/teambreya.

Donations through the My Donate page are commission-free and the charity can also claim Gift Aid.

Fundraisers must commit to raising at least £350.

So far, more than £200,000 has been raised for Breya.

For more information on the Paras 10, and to sign up, go to paras10.com.