Tributes to Hornchurch girl Isla Caton after her death from rare cancer
The seven year old was an avid West Ham fan
Last updated 25th Jan 2022
West Ham have paid tribute to "brave young Hammer" Isla Caton after the seven-year-old died following a long battle with illness.
Having been diagnosed with neuroblastoma - a rare form of child cancer - players, supporters and staff rallied around the Caton family.
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 Boxing 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."