Ref. :26705-19 A 13-YEAR-OLD cancer sufferer's dream of swimming with dolphins could soon become reality, thanks to the generosity of villagers.

Abigail Taylor-Silk, of St Andrew's Close, Wroughton, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's 18 months ago.

Despite gruelling chemotherapy sessions her parents, Richard, 48, and Denise, 38, say the youngster has kept up her spirits.

"She has been positive all the way through," said Mrs Taylor-Silk, an auxiliary nurse at Great Western Hospital.

"But as the results have not been good recently it has knocked her down a bit.

"Going to swim with the dolphins would give her something to aim for and keep her going."

After hearing her plight, Wroughton Darts League of which Abigail's father, Richard, 48, is a member had a collection and donated £300 to the family.

From there, news quickly spread through the close-knit community.

Two weeks ago a fund-raising committee called Smile was set up.

A host of activities are now planned to raise the minimum £2,500 needed to send Abigail to the United States next year, with a number of shops and businesses pledging support.

Although doctors initially gave her a 90 per cent chance of survival, her worried parents say she is not responding to the treatment.

"She has just had four-and-a-half weeks of radiotherapy we now have to wait three months for a MRI scan," said Mrs Taylor-Silk.

But she said the support of the community had bonded the family.

"It is such a shock that people wanted to do this. The support has been absolutely brilliant," she said.

Mr Taylor-Silk, who works at Hill's Recycling Centre, said the strain of the illness has been taking its toll.

"It's been the longest 18 months of our lives," he said.

"There is constant worry, it's all we can think about.

"It really has been a roller coaster ride," he said.

Abigail's elder sister Hannah, who works at the Evening Advertiser, agreed. The 19-year-old said: "We have not been all together for a while now.

"Abigail has been brilliant. She has handled it better than the rest of the family."

Meanwhile, Caroline Stratford, 36, the person who started Smile, said: "We are hoping to send Abigail to Florida in February or March.

"We just wanted to do something to help her.

"The £2,500 would pay for one of her parents to go. Ideally we would like to send the whole family over and tie in a trip to Disneyland."

A 10-mile fundraising walk around Barbury Castle is planned for Sunday, September 28. Minimum donations are £10 per adult and £5 per child.

Forms can be collected from: Carter's Rest, The Brown Jack, Dillion's or by phoning the following telephone number.

Anyone who would like to make a donation or get involved in fundraising activities should call 01793 638655.

What is Hodgkin's disease

HODGKIN'S disease is a rare form of cancer with around 1,300 new cases diagnosed in the UK each year.

It is most common in people in their 20s and 30s.The disease is one of a group of cancers known as lymphoma.

They develop from cells of the lymphatic system, which help to protect the body against infection.

In most cases the disease can be cured, particularly when it is caught early.

But if it is not treated cancer cells can break free into the blood stream affecting the major organs.