The dad of an Ayrshire tot fighting an aggressive cancer says his daughter thinks she has a “monster in her tummy.”
Scott Bolton says brave daughter Ava Bolton has named her monster “Callie” as she spends days in hospital going through gruelling round of chemotherapy.
The three-year-old is battling stage 4 high risk neuroblastoma with her family desperate to raise £250,000 to send her to New York for a trial of a new miracle drug.
And Ava is set for a bumper weekend of fundraising with events taking place across Ayrshire.
Dad Scott told Ayrshire Live: “Ava been so brave and just takes everything in her stride.
“She knows she’s not well, we just tell her that she has a monster in her tummy, that’s what the thinks it is. She’s named it Callie.
“She’s heading towards her last round of induction chemotherapy, which will come just before high dose chemotherapy.
“She’s usually at her best when she’s at the end of a treatment so we hope she can make it out for some of the events that have been planned for her.”
The Bank Holiday mini-break will see a host of events being held from Thursday right through till Monday all to help support the little star from Mauchline.
Kicking off the marathon of events will be Gargieston Primary in Kilmarnock who will literally run a full 26 miles for Ava.
The school have rallied round Ava with her big brother Lucas currently in primary 1.
And it is hoped he will be joined at the first race around the playground by his little sister, with each class taking on a lap to raise cash.
The funds raised will be split between Ava’s appeal and the Ayrshire Hospice in memory of Gargieston Primary mum Cassie McPhail, whose son (Flinlay) and daughter (Beth) still attend the school.
The attention will then turn to Ava’s home turf and the Mauchline Holy Fair set to take place on Saturday where thousands of revellers will descend on the town.
And Ava is hoping to be there, with the family being given a stall thanks to local funeral directors Wilson and Drury, and collection buckets will be on hand.
After a well deserved days break, the family will return to the fundraising trail again on Monday (May 29) where they will hold a family fun day in Cumnock, taking over the Town Hall.
The fun day has been arranged courtesy of the Dumfries Arms Hotel and will feature a huge bouncy castle and face painting.
Scott says his family have been overwhelmed by the support shown since they launched the fundraiser last month.
Scott added: “The support we have received has just been unreal to be honest.
“We’ve had total strangers just messaging us with donations or suggestions for events. We’re just so grateful.
“Not only have we got events arranged but we’ve also got about 80 charity tins dotted all over Ayrshire.
“Both Ava and Lucas are loving going to the events, they know its to raise money to get Ava medicine. They see the fun side of it.
“We hope people can pop down to the Holy Fair or come along on Monday to Cumnock Town Hall.”
Julie McKee Head Teacher of Gargieston Primary School said: “Supporting our children’s wellbeing is massive, covers children and their families.
“As soon as we heard that Ava was unwell we wanted to support the family in any way we could.”
The Mauchline Holy Fair will kick off at 11am on Saturday, May 27. Ava's Fun Day at Cumnock Town Hall will run between 11am-3pm on Monday, May 29.
You can donate to Ava's fundraiser here to find out more about Ava's fundraising visit Ava's Help Our Ava Facebook page.
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