Relatives of a teenager who underwent life-saving surgery for a rare form cancer are urging people to cook up cash for charity.

Molly Camber is believed to be one of only 24 people in the world to have developed the disease in her minor salivary gland.

At first her doctor thought the lump in her neck was due to swollen glands following a cold but when it remained she was sent for blood test for possible glandular fever.

The results were negative but her parents, Cheryl and Neil were not overly worried because the Westlands School student was well, apart from feeling like she wanted to be sick.

It was when the nausea became more constant she was eventually referred to a paediatrician who arranged for the lump to be removed as a day patient at Medway Maritime Hospital.

Several days later it was confirmed that Molly had cancer. Further scans revealed a large tumour on the roof of her mouth.

Mrs Camber, 47, of Flint Close, Kemsley, said: “Molly is only the 24th person – and possibly the only child – in the world known to have it because it is usually found in the 50 to 70 age group.

“That is why it took a long time for doctors to pick it up.”

The now 15-year-old was referred to St George’s Hospital in London where she underwent 14-hours of surgery. As it had spread through her pallet and upper jaw, surgeons had to use bone from the fibula in one of her legs to reconstruct her jaw and the top of her mouth.

Skin from her ankle was also used to make a new pallet and skin taken from the top of her leg replaced that.

In addition, 64 lymph nodes were removed, four of which were cancerous.

Following the operation Molly started a six-week course of radiotherapy. On top of everything, the youngster lost all the teeth from her upper left jaw. They can’t be replaced.

Desperate to get back to normality she rejoined her classmates in March last year – seven months after being diagnosed.

Now the Camber family want people across Kent to hold barbecues this weekend to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Mr Camber, 48, said: “The more money we can raise the quicker we can find a cure for all types of cancer.”

To sign up and get a free BBQ pack, visit www.cruk.org/BBQ