Brave Breya: Soldiers Raise Funds To Treat Girl's Rare Cancer

Soldiers from the Parachute Regiment are raising money for the daughter of a fellow comrade and friend by tabbing from the UK to the Netherlands.

Four-year-old Breya Ward was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer three years ago.

Neuroblastoma requires scans to spot any signs of the disease return but it cannot be funded by the NHS.

The troops are hoping their challenge will raise the money needed for the scans.

Her father Ollie, who serves in Second Battalion the Parachute Regiment, and wife Holly have been trying to come to terms with the condition.

Ollie said: "I have sort of been through quite a lot of emotional stages in my life anyway, and this was just overwhelming in terms of anger, sadness, fear - everything just tied into one.

"Then it sort of switched to just being by her side and doing whatever we could do to make her recover."

Breya has undergone chemotherapy which shrunk the tumour and is currently in remission.

She has been in the United States to take part in the bivalent vaccine trial, which aims to prevent a relapse.

Holly commented: "There were five children diagnosed with Breya's diagnosis, and Breya is the only one still in remission.

"So we are hopeful that maybe is, well it does not really matter whether it is because of the trial or not, but obviously, I think that it probably is.

"It is new technology, new science that hopefully will keep her in remission so she can have a lovely, normal life."

As part of the trial, they require follow-up scans to spot the disease's return, which the NHS is currently unable to fund.

In a statement, it said: "Although we cannot comment on individual cases, we would make assurance we go every length we can to give our patients the very best care."

Holly commented: "I do understand that it is obviously a separate trial that is not supported by the NHS yet. 

"I think it probably will be one day, I think they are just waiting for the long term - it has to be obviously a significant amount of result of improvement for the NHS to take it up, so it is frustrating."

That is where Ollie’s military colleagues come in.

Eight soldiers from the Parachute Regiment are tabbing 110 miles from their barracks in Colchester to Arnhem Bridge in Holland with 35 pounds on their back, to raise money for the scans.

Sergeant Jim Thwaite, Third Battalion The Parachute Regiment said: "On March 27th, we are going to leave Colchester Merville Barracks and we are going to tab 20 miles to the Harwich crossing - so that will be the first phase of the event.

"From there we are going to cross over on the ferry, which will take about five hours.

"During that time it is going to be rest and recuperation, get plenty of food and water on board for the second phase which will be the 90 miles to the Arnhem Bridge.

"We feel it is our duty to help out their family.

"I have got two children similar age and I cannot imagine what they are going through so it is quite close to home and it is the least we can do as a regiment, the airborne brotherhood, to help out Breya."

Lance Corporal Mark Fitzgerald, 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment said: "For me it is quite close to home.

"I have got a little girl, five-years-old, and I would like to think that if anything happened in a similar situation, the regiment would come together.

"We are a close-knit regiment as paratroopers."

Holly and Ollie say they are extremely grateful for the work the soldiers are doing to raise money.

Ollie said: "I have no doubt in my mind that they will complete that task, whatever pain comes their way during it.

"It is so significant, in terms of from Colchester the home of the paras, to Arnhem Bridge - which was one of our most famous battle honours from the Second World War.

"I just want to thank you massively from the bottom of our heart, especially with Breya, and if it gets hard just dig in, keep going, and keep this little girl at the back of your mind."