Laura Moore (8) and her family collected £600 through making and selling little bags of reindeer dust — coloured glitter mixed with porridge oats — to be scattered over gardens on Christmas Eve for Rudolph and his friends to eat.

Wrapped in cellophane and with a Christmas poem attached, the little bundles sold for 50p each, although Laura's mother Lynne Kidd said people were generous when buying it.

The money will help ward two of Edinburgh's Sick Kids Hospital and Tayside Children's Cancer and Leukaemia (TCCL) at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee — two places Laura has seen far too much of in the past few years.

In August 2004, Laura — then aged four and just started at Falkland Primary School — was diagnosed with neuroblastoma following symptoms of a sore stomach, sickness, loss of appetite and not sleeping.

Intensive chemotherapy and operations followed, then a time of remission, but the next year Laura had a relapse and had to undergo more treatment, including radiotherapy.

Last November came a further setback when the youngster was diagnosed with leukaemia and so she is now being treated for two cancers.

As well as the inevitable hospital admissions — Laura once spent five weeks in isolation — numerous medical appointments and disrupted schooling have become a part of her life.

GRUELLING

Lynne said Laura had been "brilliant" throughout her lengthy and often gruelling treatments.

"She always says she's fine," she said.

When asked about being in hospital, Laura's response was equally lacking in self-pity.

"There's lots of babies crying; the playroom was really good because it was big and really fun," she said.

Lynne added: "She just seems to take it in the stride and doesn't complain and it gives us inspiration and keeps us going."

Laura's experience has had a huge impact on the whole family, Lynne and her husband Grant, two-year-old Ewan and Laura's big sister Cara, who turns 12 next week.

Even without health concerns, it has been a big few years for the family, who live in Southfield, with Ewan being born, Lynne and Grant's wedding and Cara entering S1 at Bell Baxter High School.

Job demands also need to be factored in — Grant is a social worker in Kirkcaldy while Lynne works part-time as a dental nurse.

Despite all that, Lynne and Laura decided they wanted to give something back by selling the reindeer dust locally.

"One thing led to another, and we ended up making about 30 a day," said Lynne.

The family thanked everyone who had supported their fund-raising, which they hope to repeat next time Santa is expected.