West Ham have paid tribute to “brave young Hammer” Isla Caton after the seven-year-old died following a long cancer battle.
Having been diagnosed with neuroblastoma – a rare form of child cancer – players, supporters and staff rallied around the Caton family.
Her devastated family, including parents Nicola and Michael, confirmed she has died this morning.
They tweeted: “It is with the heaviest of broken hearts that we must announce Isla gained her angel wings early hours of this morning, it was very peaceful and surrounded by the continued love of Nicola, Michael & Millie.
“God bless our brave Isla.”
Collections at the London Stadium and donations from the likes of joint-chairman David Sullivan helped in providing treatments to battle the disease.
Isla was a mascot for West Ham’s Premier League game at home to Bournemouth in January 2018.
She was later named in the West Ham squad for their St Stephen's Day fixture against Southampton by which time – having been declared cancer-free in 2019 – the illness had returned and she died on the morning of January 25.
West Ham posted a moving statement on their official website, while tributes poured in on Twitter.
“Everyone in the West Ham United family has been left heartbroken by the passing of brave young Hammer Isla Caton,” West Ham’s message read.
“Isla passed away in the early hours of Tuesday 25 January, aged just seven, five years after initially being diagnosed with the rare child cancer neuroblastoma.
“The deepest sympathies of everybody at the club are with Isla’s parents Nicola and Michael and her wider family and friends at this saddest of times.”
Just 100 children are diagnosed with the rare and aggressive cancer every year.
The family were told in 2018 Isla had just three months to live, when they launched a fundraising campaign for the treatment she needed.
They even sold their possessions to take her to Barcelona for life-saving treatment before moving home during the pandemic.
Last year doctors explained Isla's bone marrow was failing and they had to stop chemo, giving Isla just weeks left to live.
Despite the grim news, the brave youngster continued to smile throughout her treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
