The parents of an 18-month-old baby told today how she bravely survived a rare form of cancer which resulted in her losing both kidneys.

And Jonathan Meares and Lynsey Muff are now holding an auction to raise funds for the children's cancer and leukaemia ward at St James's Hospital in Leeds which treated their "precious" child.

Caitlin Meares, pictured with Lynsey, was diagnosed with Wilms' Tumour, a kidney cancer which affects only 75 children in Britain annually, in October last year.

After nine months of chemotherapy treatment, she had both kidneys removed because the tumours had made them as big as grapefruits. She now depends on a dialysis machine at the family home in Harden and is hooked up to it for nine hours each day.

Her parents hope auction prizes of boxing gloves signed by former world champion Roberto Duran and a pair of tickets for a fight night at the Hilton Hotel in Bradford on Monday, December 2 will raise in excess of £500.

Mr Meares, 35, who is Caitlin's full-time carer, said the money would be used to buy Christmas presents on the ward and would be put towards a festive party for staff, patients and parents.

He said: "I'm ecstatic that Caitlin's getting over it. Her illness puts things like your mortgage, work and car in perspective and you realise all these things mean very little. She's everything to us and very precious. We just love her to bits and she is very special."

Mr Meares, a keen boxing fan, said the gloves were donated by Duran after he heard about Caitlin's recovery. The tickets for the event, which will feature guest of honour light-welterweight boxer Ricky Hatton, were donated by John Celebanski of the Yorkshire Executive Sporting Club. Miss Muff, 24, said: "All the staff on the ward were fantastic and nothing was too much trouble for them."

She said Caitlin was expected to be placed on the kidney donor transplant list in August 2003.

Rachel Hollis, a sister on the ward, said the donation would be a "fantastic gesture".

"Jonathan and Lynsey spent a lot of time on the ward with Caitlin and they were a great pleasure to have around with us. We try to let all the children on the ward go home at Christmas but obviously for those who can't we try to let them have the best Christmas we can."

The prizes are being given away as one lot to the highest bidder and all bids must be received by Thursday. Written postal bids should be sent or taken to Harden Post Office, 21, Lane End, Harden, Bingley, BD16 1HS, with 'Boxing Bid' marked on the envelope.