A couple’s world “collapsed” when they discovered their daughter’s cancer had returned, three years after her last treatment.

A scan in July revealed that brave Maya Nash’s neuroblastoma is back, just as the 10-year-old’s parents, from Hythe, “were getting ready to ring the end-of-treatment bell”.

The rare cancer can be more difficult to control if it returns, but Maya’s loved ones are remaining hopeful, while at the same time, they say, preparing for the worst.

Mum Dellanie Nash, a nurse, 47, said: “She is very feisty and stubborn which is what helped her beat it the first time. I hope she can stay strong again.”

At just three years old, Maya was diagnosed with stage four high-risk neuroblastoma, which develops in early nerve cells and often starts in the abdomen. She subsequently received frontline treatment in a trial on the NHS.

Between 2019 and 2020, after raising £89,000, the tot and her family travelled to New York for a clinical trial at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. They hoped the treatment would stop the disease returning.

After that, there was no evidence of active disease, meaning cancer was not detected.

However, a scan in July, just two weeks after Maya’s 10th birthday, revealed the disease had spread throughout her body.

Mrs Nash said: “They found spots had spread to her skull, on her shoulder, on the thorax, right pelvis and right femur.

“We were getting ready to ring the end-of-treatment bell. Our world collapsed when we found out it had returned.”

Maya had been complaining of leg pain since June which prompted the family to book her in for more tests, leading to the scan.

Mrs Nash, who shares four children aged between 27 and 10 with husband Terry, told KentOnline: “Once neuroblastoma relapses, it is more challenging to control the disease.

“We are clutching at straws, to be honest.

“I am remaining positive though. I hope that Maya could be in the low amount of children that do survive.”

The youngster had a bone biopsy in July, and is waiting to start chemotherapy.

Despite being ready for the fight, Mrs Nash says she will not put Maya through “terrible pain.”

“It is such a rare cancer they are going to throw everything at her to try and manage the illness,” she said.

“They keep the treatment going as far as Maya can take it. If keeping Maya alive means she is going to be in terrible pain then I would rather not do that. The quality of life is important too.”

Mrs Nash and Mr Nash - a self-employed gardener - are now preparing to work less so they can focus on Maya, and have launched a fundraiser to help the family financially.

They set up the GoFundMe page in July so they “don’t have to worry about finances while Maya gets her treatment”.

In less than two weeks they have raised more than £13,000, and Mrs Nash says the support has been “immense”.

The mum went on: “It is a hard time for everyone at the moment and to raise £10,000 in a week is incredible.”