Summer in New York awaits for two brave Ayrshire kids battling the same aggressive cancer

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Two brave Ayrshire kids fighting the same aggressive cancer have set their sights on New York – after more than half a million was raised for specialist treatment.Calum Rae and Ava Bolton might just live 14 miles apart but all roads lead to the Big Apple as they seek a lifeline for high risk neuroblastoma.Four-year-old Calum from Troon and four-year-old Ava from Mauchline, were both given the shock news last spring, sparking two separate fundraisers for a £250,000 vaccine developed by top medics in the States.The courageous pair have both endured almost a year of constant hospital visits for rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, for the rare cancer that has just a 50 per cent survival rate.In that time kind-hearted people from Ayrshire and beyond have dug deep, hosting charity football matches, washing cars and trekking for miles to raise the cash, to give Calum and Ava a shot at overcoming the devastating disease.Last year, against the odds, both totals were smashed by the end of summer, with donations still pouring in to their respective online fundraising pages.Now, both families have told Ayrshire Live how they are looking ahead to getting on that plane, with both hoping to set off for NY in the summer.Ava’s dad, Scott Bolton, said: “It’s a really big year ahead.“Ava’s currently going through immunotherapy, which is the final stage of her treatment.“The immunotherapy is all about giving her antibodies that will help fight the neuroblastoma.“If it all goes well, if tests show clear, then the plan is New York by the summer.” As the bells brought in 2024, Scott admitted he and wife, Natalie Bolton reflected on a whirlwind year in which their “world collapsed” before they were “blown away” by the generosity of