Time is of the essence to help send a terminally ill disabled teenager to Africa to spend time with her favourite animal.

Friends and family of Elke Wisbey, 14, from Boughton Lees, have launched an appeal to raise £18,000 to send her on the trip of a lifetime to Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, where giraffes pop their heads in the window at breakfast.

The teenage from Ashford was starved of oxygen at birth, leaving her with several brain damage, resulting in her becoming non-verbal and unable to walk.

As a consequence, Elke’s suffers with the condition hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, in addition to scoliosis of the spine and osteoporosis.

Her condition has progressed rapidly in recent months, leaving doctors and her family unable to predict whether the loving teen has weeks or months left. Elke’s spine is now collapsing at an alarming rate, impacting her ability to breath in addition to regular seizures.

Her mother Glynnis Wisbey, 51, said: “She’s very much in pain. It’s really difficult. I don’t want to talk about the end of my daughter’s life.

“At one point they said might not make it until Easter. I’m trying to do as much as I can now to prepare.”

The family also support and in turn receive respite care from Demelza House children’s hospice: “If you had a choice for somewhere loving to die for your child, Demelza House is a lovely place.”

Now friends and family are desperate to give Elke a happy family trip to spend quality time with giraffes, her favourite animal.

Elke’s love for giraffes began at the age of one, when Glynnis bought her a musical toy as a comfort for when she went into hospital. The family have spent a day at Port Lympne, but would love for Elke to have a few days getting to know the giraffes at her own pace. They have appealed to wish foundations for terminally ill children, but most operate only within the UK or Europe.

Mrs Wisbey said: “It’s a huge amount of money. If there was a short cut to get the wish foundations to help us I think we would have found it by now.

“It’s still a possibility but it takes time.

“At the moment, we are all still asking the same people.

“It’s not a family holiday for us. I just want to go there and take her to see the giraffes.

“Whenever she’s been really ill, there’s always been a giraffe there, through all the good times and the bad times. They would keep her going.”

Friends are already completing sponsored runs and other fundraising with £1,000 out of the £18,000 target now raised.

Giraffe Manor have agreed to accommodate Elke, Glynnis, dad Matthew, 51, and brother Galahad, 18. The money raised would go towards flights and insurance.

To donate to Elke’s trip #ElkesWish, visit the Just Giving page.