TWO friends have finally taken to the air as they completed a skydive and raised thousands to help a little girl fighting a rare form of cancer.

Bradley Harris and work colleague Duncan Rudall have braved the jump from 15,000 feet to help raise money for Florentina Burton.

Florentina, four, from Braintree, was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma in May last year, the night before her fourth birthday.

Braintree and Witham Times:

Neuroblastoma mostly affects babies and young children, most commonly occurring in one of the adrenal glands above the kidneys, or in the nerve tissue that runs alongside the spinal cord in the neck, chest, stomach, or pelvis.

The family is hoping to raise £250,000 to take Florentina to New York for the Bivalent Vaccine, a potentially life-saving treatment which is the only paediatric tumour vaccine in existence and maximises the survival rate in the event of a relapse.

So far, more than £190,000 has been raised, 77 per cent of the target.

Bradley and his wife, Harriet Harris, are friends of the Burton family.

Before moving elsewhere in Braintree last March, they lived next to the Burtons.

Bradley and colleague Duncan were due to complete the skydive last year, but it was postponed due to adverse weather.

Now, the pair have finally completed the jump, and are overjoyed at raising thousands for Flo.

Braintree and Witham Times:

Braintree and Witham Times:

Braintree and Witham Times:

Bradley said: “After a few storms and covid cancellations, Duncan and I finally completed the skydive.

“It was brilliant. Due to the long wait, I wasn’t nervous but excited and definitely want to do it again.

“We managed to raise £12,523 last year and asked everyone to donate directly this year to Flo’s page.

“The amount we raised was brilliant, we are really pleased and just overwhelmed at the support.”

In the latest update, Florentina’s mum Amelia added: “Florentina is doing really well, she is almost at the end of her frontline treatment.

“She has one more cycle of immunotherapy left which is the pump and one oral cycle left.

“Hopefully she’ll have end-of-treatment scans the week of July 18.

“If all clear, then we should be aiming for New York end of August or start of September.

“Thank you for all the support”

To donate to Florentina’s appeal, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/florentina-burton.