A "courageous" seven-year-old girl who was diagnosed with a rare cancer aged just two has died, her family has reported.
Little Isla Caton was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma and spent the majority of her life having chemotherapy and operations to fight the disease.
Her sad story was shared by Premier League club West Ham whose fans helped raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to help fund treatment for her in both the UK and Spain.
But her devastated family, including parents Nicola and Michael, have confirmed she has died this morning.
They tweeted: “It is with the heaviest of broken hearts that we must announce Isla gained her angel wings early hours of this morning, it was very peaceful and surrounded by the continued love of Nicola, Michael & Millie.
“God bless our brave Isla.”
Just 100 children are diagnosed with the rare and aggressive cancer every year.
The family were told in 2018 Isla had just three months to live, when they launched a fundraising campaign for the treatment she needed.
They even sold their possessions to take her to Barcelona for life-saving treatment before moving home during the pandemic.
Last year doctors explained Isla's bone marrow was failing and they had to stop chemo, giving Isla just weeks left to live.
Despite the grim news, the brave youngster continued to smile throughout her treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
A spokesman for West Ham United said: “Everyone in the West Ham United family has been left heartbroken by the passing of brave young Hammer Isla Caton.
“Isla passed away in the early hours of Tuesday 25 January, aged just seven, five years after initially being diagnosed with the rare child cancer neuroblastoma.
“The deepest sympathies of everybody at the Club are with Isla’s parents Nicola and Michael and her wider family and friends at this saddest of times.
“Born into a West Ham-supporting family in Hornchurch, Essex, Isla’s courageous fight against the illness caught the imagination of the Claret and Blue Army .
“After falling ill at the age of two, Isla was initially treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
"She then moved with her parents to Barcelona in Spain, where the family lived for two years while she underwent pioneering treatment, and also received a surprise visit in hospital from Hammers captain Mark Noble and his team-mate Robert Snodgrass.
“In December, she was named in West Ham’s squad for the Premier League fixture with Southampton on Boxing Day, wearing the No12 shirt.
Sadly, just a few weeks on, Isla’s fight has come to an end, but her memory and legacy will live on forever. Rest in peace, Isla.”
