PARENTS of a six-year-old girl diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour are desperately trying to raise £370,000 for lifesaving treatment in America.

Jack and Elizabeth Mckelvey’s world came crashing down this month when doctors told them their bright and beautiful daughter Lily had an extremely rare tumour which grows in the stem of the brain on January 12.

As few as 20 children are diagnosed with this condition - known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) - each year in the UK.

Doctors explained to Jack and Elizabeth, who live in Marks Tey, Lily’s life expectancy is between just six to nine months.

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Darling - Lily, aged 6

The youngster started radiotherapy at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, on Wednesday.

Lily will undergo 13 sessions of this treatment as a form of palliative care to optimise her quality of life with her family.

But Jack and Elizabeth, both 31, want to do everything possible to try to give their beloved daughter a longer, and better, life.

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Together - Lily with her parents Jack and Elizabeth 

Having carried out countless hours of research into Lily’s cancer, the pair discovered there are treatments available after radiotherapy.

These treatments are no longer available in the UK but the couple have found a specialist doctor from New York who can provide treatment for DIPG.

They are consulting with their doctor in Cambridge, who said Lily may be able to travel there for treatment after her radiotherapy.

Jack said: “I will take Lily anywhere in the world in a bid to keep her alive for longer.

“We have got to try everything we can to help Lily.

“I cannot sit back after hearing my daughter has only months left to live.”

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I did not do all I could for her.”

Doctors have advised Jack the cost of Lily’s treatment in the US - including travel - would be about £370,000.

With no time to spare, Lily’s family launched a fundraising page on Wednesday in the hope of raising that figure.

More than £19,000 has been raised already.

“It’s touching - and really lovely - that so many people have tried to help Lily through donations,” Jack said.

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Loved - A big smile at Christmas time 

Jack and Elizabeth are still deciding what treatment in the US would be the best option to try to expand Lily’s life after radiotherapy.

The couple said the pain they are going through is indescribable.

In December, before Lily became ill, they told her she would become a big sister to a baby brother due in June.

But soon after Christmas Lily, who is normally happy and healthy, started being violently sick in the mornings.

This was her only symptom of DIPG.

After many GP appointments, a concerned neurosurgeon got Lily to have brain scan, which is how the tumour was found.

“Life without Lily is unthinkable. We have to fight for her,” Jack added.

To donate to the GoFundMe page, visit bit.ly/2NsH0gd.