A mother is desperately raising money to take her daughter to Disneyland before she “loses her forever” to a rare degenerative condition.

Natalie Edwards’ three-year-old girl Ellie was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome four weeks ago following years of ill health that confounded doctors.

The genetic disorder affects just one in 12,000 girls – it is rarely found in boys – and causes severe physical and mental disability that begins in early childhood.

Natalie now faces a race against time to take her only child on her dream holiday before the second stage of the condition causes Ellie to regress to the state of a newborn baby.

The 25-year-old, of Clarence Close, New Barnet, said: “It is her last wish – she absolutely loves Disney and while she is still walking and still here in her mind I want to take her – it would mean everything to me.”

Ellie went through a number of misdiagnoses, including autism, dyspraxia and ADHD, after she showed signs of abnormal development from the age of two-and-a-half.

Natalie said: “She was just a normal little girl and then after she started walking, we knew something was wrong.

“She was shaking, she suddenly stopped being able to cope with situations, everything became too much for her.”

Baffled doctors finally tested Ellie for Rett Syndrome and Natalie faced an agonising 12-week wait before the results came back positive last month.

The mother-of-one, who works for her father’s pest control company in Potters Bar, said: “I was devastated – I just kept crying.

“Everything is doom and gloom at the moment – it is a horrible time but I’m trying to stay positive. The response from people has been overwhelming - everyone has been so kind.”

Natalie and her boyfriend, Ellie’s 22-year-old father Arron, are holding a charity night at The Stone Marquee bar in Whetstone on Thursday to raise some money towards Ellie’s last wish.

They hope ticket sales for ‘Ellie’s Night’ will raise around £4,000 towards the £10,000 total they need to take all three of them to the Florida theme park.

Natalie said: “It will be a chance to enjoy her and create some memories while we still can. It has been months of hell and hospital appointments – I’m beside myself but I just have to keep going.

“I can’t give her back, she comes from me and I just won’t do it – the whole situation is heartbreaking.”

‘Ellie’s Night’ begins at 8pm on Thursday at The Stone Marquee, in High Road. Tickets cost £15 on the door or £10 pre-bought from The Queens Arms or Old Red Lion pubs.

Alternatively, contact Natalie on 07951 954445 or Hayley on 07545 149471 for tickets and more information.