“Come and spend one day with me and see the challenges our family face, and you may think twice about stealing the funds that are being raised to help save my daughter’s life,” she said.

Nine-year-old Chloe Saxby was diagnosed with Vanishing White Matter Disease six years ago. The degenerative condition has robbed her of the ability to walk, and will eventually take her ability to hold her head up, talk, see, hear or eat.

Nyree and husband Grant launched the Save Chloe Saxby campaign in 2016 to raise $2.6 million to fund vital research.

Thanks to the help of the Illawarra community – and those further afield – more than $1 million has been raised so far. It’s money raised through fundraising walks and other events – as well as simple donation boxes. 

On Sunday night, one of those collection boxes was smashed and the money stolen during a break-in at the Sorrento Espresso cafe in Auburn Street, Wollongong.

It’s the third time a collection box for Chloe’s campaign has been stolen, while Mrs Saxby also had her phone – and all its precious images of Chloe – stolen some months ago.

“We have worked hard and paid taxes all our life and are now trying to save our daughter Chloe’s life by funding research into a cure for this hideous terminal illness that Chloe is unlucky enough to have,” she said.

“I don't understand these people always seem to get away with everything with no consequences because of loopholes in the law, when I have to watch my nine-year-old daughter die a little more each day before my eyes.”

Wollongong Police confirmed they are investigating the latest incident.

The collection box was raising funds for the Great Illawarra Walk on March 17 and 18. Funds raised from that event will go directly to a new research project into Vanishing White Matter Disease at the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute.

To register go to www.greatillawarrawalk.com or to donate directly to the campaign visit www.savingchloesaxby.com

“I feel terrible for those generous people who donated their money to help a little girl,” Mrs Saxby said.

“The vast majority of people are good, and want to help. It’s just gut-wrenching that there’s people who are more concerned with grabbing quick, easy money.”