CHILDHOOD cancer sufferer Abby Fishlock-Whitelaw has a growing army of family and friends' fighting for her recovery.
The nine-year-old from Stroud was diagnosed with the rare bone cancer osteosarcoma just two months ago.
The brave youngster is already nearing the end of a gruelling cycle of chemotherapy before she goes into hospital for her tumour to be removed later this month.
Abby and her mum Catherine, 40, and the rest of the family have been amazed by the help they have received on their journey from the charity CLIC Sargent.
Osteosarcoma is "very cureable", Mrs Fishlock said.
She said: "Hopefully, by the end of summer, Abby's treatment should be over. She will beat it."
But Catherine added: "I don't think we could have come through it intact without the help of Claire Harrison, the CLIC nurse assigned to Abby.
"CLIC is fantastic. We have to travel to Bristol Children's Hospital for Abby's treatment and both her dad and I, and my partner, have used the home-from-home facilities provided by CLIC Sargent to stay close by."
Catherine said she was overwhelmed by a number of friends and family who had started fundraising and had already collected £700.
An abseil down the old Battersea Power Station in London was planned along with a parachute jump and even a kilt walk in Scotland, where the family has close ties.
"We are starting a CLIC Sargent fund for Abby to raise money for this fantastic charity which will continue to support us through the next year and beyond as we go through this journey with Abby on her quest to beat cancer in 2013," said Catherine.
She said Abby seemed to cope and accept what was happening: "Going through treatment it is difficult and she gets down. Then, as she starts to come out of that, we see her start to smile again. It inspires everyone who knows her."
