THE foster parents of an abandoned girl who has survived against all odds have spoken out about her incredible bravery for the first time.

During her short life Nellie-Mai Evans has had several brushes with death but has always 'come out fighting'.

At just nine years old, she has had a heart transplant, battled cancer, a stroke, has been pronounced 'clinically dead' and lives with severe epilepsy.

Now the courageous fighter could soon come face-to-face with Prince Harry having been selected from hundreds to win an Inspirational Child award.

Following the nomination by her 16-year-old sister Eloise, Nellie-Mai's foster parents Jeff and Sarah Evans have taken the opportunity to tell her story.

"It's about time somebody heard her story," said dad Jeff. "We don't know if she will be here tomorrow - she won't live forever as she's got a restricted life span - but we wanted to tell it while she's alive and healthy enough to smile.

"I think for a long time Eloise thought she should have some recognition for all she's been through but we couldn't as she was fostered.

"She always came out the other end and now she's so healthy and happy we are really pleased."

The family, of Warcop, near Appleby, will head to the capital for the WellChild Awards in October where the Royal Patron, Prince Harry, has previously attended.

"She's generally over-the-moon and smiling but she had a stroke five years ago which means she has a limited understanding of things," he added. "But as we're getting closer to the event she's really getting carried along with it.

"To go to a glittering ceremony and be the centre of attention and get spoiled is what she deserves."

Jeff and Sarah Evans, 42, first came into contact with Nellie-Mai when, at just months old, she was abandoned in a Manchester hospital.

Due to a severe heart condition, the couple were asked if they would hold the newborn's hand in what was believed to be her final weeks.

"She had no clothes but a pair of donated shorts," said Jeff, who was in the process of retiring from the police at the time. "We started to visit her - Sarah was there every day and I went in the evening.

"She kept having heart attacks and one time she was resuscitated four times but every time we turned up she was fine."

After coming out of intensive care, Nellie-Mai - now with a family by her side - was put on the heart transplant list and underwent life-saving surgery one month later.

But 53-year-old Jeff said 'that was only the start of a very long road' for her, because as a transplant patient she was susceptible to infections.

While at nursery Nellie-Mai picked up slapped cheek syndrome which developed into Epstein-Barr virus, 'a horrible thing that mimics other illnesses'.

In 2008 while holidaying in Greece, Nellie-Mai was found to have lumps on her neck.

On the family's return to the UK, the next devastating blow came as they discovered she had leukaemia - causing her hair to fall out and making her very ill.

And as soon as her medication was balanced to help fight the disease, she became unwell again.

"Between 2009 and 2010 we thought her body was rejecting her heart," said Jeff.

Nellie-Mai suffered a 'massive stroke' in hospital and the family were told she was in a 'persistent vegetative state' and to 'make arrangements'.

But much to the shock of everyone, Nellie-Mai uttered the word 'mummy' and came back fighting from a coma 10 days later.

"They said she was clinically dead - it defied explanation," said Jeff.

However, the family was hit with even more bad news as Nellie-Mai was diagnosed with severe epilepsy.

For the past five years the brave youngster has suffered major seizures, resulting in back and forth hospital trips to Carlisle and Newcastle.

Undeterred by what life has thrown at her, cycling and swimming lover Nellie-Mai has been praised for her resilience and lust for life.

"She just comes up fighting, she's an unbelievable child," said Jeff, who moved with the family to Warcop in 2009. "She's better than ever and the strongest person I know."

Jeff and Sarah, a cover supervisor at Kirkby Stephen Grammar School, took special guardianship of Nellie-Mai in 2010.