The family of a young girl fighting a brain tumour have raised more than £1,600 for the children's ward looking after her through a fundraiser on their farm's pumpkin patch.

Rosa-Mae Linch was diagnosed in September 2018 aged just six and has undergone multiple brain surgeries and gruelling chemotherapy treatments.

After being off the chemotherapy for less than six months, in May it was decided she should once again start treatment, this time for 70 weeks.

Although her care is led by specialists at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, her weekly sessions take place in the Padua Ward at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.

The family, who run Saffery Farm in Selling near Faversham, say they have been so overwhelmed by the 'wonderful' care she has received, they decided to raise money for the ward through their pumpkin patch.

They invited customers to pop a few pounds in their orange collection boxes as they searched for the perfect pumpkin.

Rosa-Mae's mother, Claire Fridd, said: “Thanks to the amazing community nurse teams and her wonderful consultants, she has been able to have this weekly dose at the William Harvey.

"This means we don’t have to drive to The Royal Marsden every week and means Rosa-Mae doesn’t miss more school.

“Padua is a wonderful place. Yes, it’s a children’s ward so no-one chooses to be there but the nurses, doctors, consultants, play therapists and all the staff make it a happy place where we feel safe about the treatment Rosa-Mae is receiving.

“We have spent a lot of time in the rooms on Padua over the last few years and everyone there wants to help and make the time spent there the best it can be given the circumstances.”

More than £1,630 was raised through donation buckets on the field, as well as through a Just Giving page.

The money will go towards improving the experience for children at the William Harvey Hospital, from funding toys and special devices for kids' audiobooks, to ‘mediteddies’ which are designed to fit over IV bags, making treatment feel less scary for younger patients.

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