A WONDERFUL little girl with 'one of the loveliest smiles'.

Now the family of Evie-Mae Crawford, who was born with two holes in her heart and then diagnosed with leukaemia, want to give something back.

They are taking part in Saturday's Relay for Life at the Oxford Rugby Club to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Five-year-old Evie-Mae, who also has Down's Syndrome, has been in remission for three years.

Undergoing three types of chemotherapy in six months, family and relatives rallied together to help her and her family who live in Berinsfield.

Her Mum, Jo Crawford, said she did not know how they managed to pull through without the “amazing” support network.

The 39-year-old said: “Sometimes it feels like a dream, and I can’t quite believe it happened, but then other times it is so real that I still find myself checking her over every night to make sure she has not got any bruises – those were the signs when she was first diagnosed.

“But we just had this incredible support network to get us through that time.

“My sister would come round and make us all meals, Evie-Mae’s two older sisters were absolutely brilliant and helped anyway they could.

“My husband Stuart, was brilliant and everyone was just focused on getting our little girl better.”

Mrs Crawford said when her daughter reaches her five-year remission mark they will be cutting her “curly locks” and donating them to a charity that makes wigs for children with cancer.

She added: “She is just a delight – she is so active and a happy little girl.

“She wants to do everything her older sisters do.

"She goes horse riding, loves swimming and she has just turned into this wonderful little girl with one of the loveliest smiles."

And now Evie-Mae will be front and centre at the Relay for Life.

She, along with the Lord Mayor, will be cutting the ribbon to opening the fundraiser that will see teams throughout the county continuously run or walk for 24 hours.

Mrs Crawford said the whole family had entered as a team for this year’s event.

She said: “All of Evie-Mae’s sisters are getting involved, although I’m not sure how they’re all going to cope in a tent without all their gadgets for a night.

“This is the third time that Evie-Mae has opened the ceremony and she takes part in the survivors lap at the very beginning.

“I get extremely emotional watching her and all the other survivors, you just can not believe she has already gone through so much.

“This is our way to give something back, raise awareness and support other people who are going through what we have already been through.”

The Relay for Life will start at midday on Saturday, August 20.