Islanders have been encouraged to skip Christmas cards this year to raise money for a young Isle of Wight woman who has just months to live.

Cassidy Ley, 20, from Ventnor, is in end stage heart failure and suffers from a rare terminal skin condition.

Cassidy went to St Francis Primary and The Island Free School and has a series of painful and terminal medical conditions including a severe terminal rare genetic skin condition, severe dilated cardiomyopathy, ventricular tachycardia, scoliosis, joint dislocations and postural hypotension.

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She will soon be going to Naomi House and Jacksplace for respite care after her skin condition worsened recently.

Cassidy has enjoyed mini-breaks including Amsterdam (left) and trips to Chessington World of Adventures (right) (Image: Contributed)

Cassidy's friend, Liz Morris, has pledged to skip sending Christmas cards this year and donate to Cassidy's GoFundMe page instead.

Over £20,000 has been raised, despite the initial £2,500 goal.

Cassidy has not let her condition hold her back, with a trip to see Taylor Swift at The Eras Tour in London and a mini-break in Amsterdam over the past few months, as well as several theatre shows.

Liz said:  "This year, instead of sending Christmas cards, I’m donating to a cause close to my heart: supporting my incredible friend, Cassie Ley.

"Cassidy and her family are going through an unimaginably tough time.

"Sadly, her condition is deteriorating, and she’s in a lot of pain with a very nasty skin infection.

"Cassidy will soon be going to Naomi House and Jacksplace for some much-needed respite care, and she also has the long-term support of Mountbatten here on the Isle of Wight."

Jodie Lacey, Cassidy's cousin and organiser of her GoFundMe, said: "Sadly right now Cassidy has a debilitating infection in her skin, the very worst and most painful it’s ever been.

"This is the most recent infection of many she has been treated for.

"The local hospice visited to adjust her pain medication due to disease progression and we hope this makes her more comfortable."

(Image: Contributed)