A Workington family are facing a heartbreaking decision to allow their daughter to develop cancer for the fourth time in the latest bid for her survival.

Emily Shutt, six, was diagnosed with leukaemia when she was two. She has undergone several treatments and operations, including nine lots of radiotherapy and bone marrow transplants.

Tests earlier this year showed the latest treatment was working and her family hoped this meant she would qualify for a medical trial at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital.

But the trial’s conditions have changed and she now needs to have the cancer visible in her system to qualify. It means she must stop her treatment and is likely to relapse in the next six to 12 months.

The family say the trial is Emily’s only hope and are appealing for donations to help them.

Mum Helen, of Railbank Drive, said: “It’s heartbreaking knowing your little girl has been so poorly through treatment to make her better.

“For us then to be told Emily has now got to get leukaemia for the fourth time is destroying, especially after we were told last February she would never make it this far.

“Although I’m not begging for people’s support, we really do need as much help as possible.

“Our financial situation is nothing. Neither Emily’s dad Martyn nor myself have been able to go out to work. We’ve had no income through the past four-and-a-half years because Emily has needed our care.

“If she goes to London, the family will be split. Her dad will be there with Emily while I look after her brother Alfie at home. There’s no cure in the UK for Emily. There are treatments in America, but people don’t realise how expensive they are.

“Emily had a bone marrow transplant and that cost £500,000, but the NHS paid for it. If we went to America we would have to pay.”

The money is needed to help the family with the costs of looking after Emily while she is receiving treatment and they are appealing for people to keep helping them.

In 2014, Alfie, eight, donated his bone marrow to his sister, but she fell ill again last year.

The family were also told last week the youngster will have to undergo three operations in the next few months, including one for cataracts, due to problems from the intensive treatment.

Helen said: “I have to be strong to support Emily and the rest of my family, but when will my little girl have a break?”

Emily’s grandfather Barrie has set up a group on Facebook, Emily’s Journey, where he updates members on his granddaughter’s condition and encourages fundraising.

The money is needed to help the family with the costs of looking after Emily while she is receiving treatment. Helen said she found it difficult to fundraise because they cannot set up a charity for Emily.

Rules for setting up charities say the organisation cannot raise money for one child. Helen said the money raised goes to a dedicated bank account used to cover all expenses throughout Emily’s illness.

She said: “I’m hoping Emily won’t need all that money, that she’ll be free of cancer soon. If she’s given the all clear, I will give the money to a worthwhile charity and I’ll go back to the people who have given big amounts and ask them what they’d like me to do with it.

“I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported and continues to support Emily.

“I don’t want people to think we are greedy, because we aren’t. We are desperate. We’ve never been able to live as a carefree family for five years.”

She is appealing for people to help the family and get in touch if they have a fundraising idea.

She added: “I’m asking people to take this into their hands. I want them to knock on my door and tell me they can do something to help.

“We also have tins people can put in local shops.”

Anyone wanting to raise money for Emily can call Barrie on 07780582994.

To promote your fundraising activity for Emily, call Federica Bedendo at the Times & Star on 01900 607630 or email federica.bedendo@cnmedia.co.uk