A teenager fighting a deadly type of cancer has given an emotional thank you to people in Scotland for giving her hope of a cure.

Cancer warrior Kira Noble, 14, courageously shared her story of her three year battle against the disease earlier in April.

Despite numerous rounds of chemotherapy and surgery, doctors discovered just before her birthday last summer that the tumour they had been fighting had returned.

With surgeons unable to operate on it in Scotland, Kira's final hope was to receive life-saving treatment from a specialist neuroblastoma team in New York costing hundreds of thousands of pounds.

But after she shared her story on STV, generous members of the public donated funds to help pay for her treatment. One young boy even donated his £5 pocket money.

Moved by their response, Kira asked to film a special message in the STV News studio to all those who donated, and she included a special update on her most recent round of chemotherapy in preparation for her surgery in America.

"My MRI results have come back and they are all good - my tumour has shrunk!" she recorded excitedly.

"Thank you for all your donations so far to get me to New York for my lifesaving surgery."

Kira was first diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was 11 years old after she began suffering stabbing pains in her abdomen.

After seven months of tests, a large tumour was eventually found inside her.

Since then, the Edinburgh schoolgirl has undergone more than ten rounds of harsh chemotherapy and several long surgeries to beat back the cancer.

Despite managing to reach remission several times, the cancer has always returned quickly - to the point where it is now too difficult for UK surgeons to operate on.

The specialist team in New York have looked at Kira's case though and believe they may be able to treat her.

This most recent round of chemotherapy is part of the plan to shrink the tumour again to allow surgeons to operate.

"I need to get this out, to get back to normal and have a normal life," said Kira.

"It's been hell. When I relapsed the first time it was hard on me. The third time was harder.

"Knowing what's going to happen, it's not easy. I knew I'd lose my hair again. That I wouldn't be able to see my friends."

"It's not exactly what I want to do, to have another surgery again because I've just had one," added Kira.

"But if it saves my life then I'll go for it. I want to be here. I know what I want to be when I'm older. I just want to get there and do it."

A final cost for the treatment has yet to come through for Kira's family, but they are hopeful that every donation from the public will help them to save her life.

"There is hope," said Aud, Kira's mother. "There is hope and that is great."

To help fund Kira's treatment you can donate here online or you can text KIRA89 and your amount £1 - £10 to 70070. You can also follow Kira's journey on her Kira the Machine Facebook page.