A White City family has raised more than $5,400 to help fund a cure for their seven-year-old daughter's rare neurological disorder.

About three years ago, doctors told Amanda Marcotte and her husband, Andy Muir, that their daughter, Evie Muir, had autism. But Marcotte wasn’t satisfied with the diagnosis, so Evie underwent genetic testing. In August, the family found out Evie actually has Rett syndrome.

“Rett syndrome is a one-letter typo in her DNA. It’s a mutation that affects protein, which affects neurons,” Marcotte said.

The rare disorder affects Evie's ability to communicate and move around. Marcotte said about 20 girls in Saskatchewan have Rett syndrome.

“You do not know when your child will gain or lose skills, so we hope Evie continues to have the use of her hands and mobility of the rest of her body, and keeps learning to talk despite a severe speech delay,” she said.

But, experts with the ‘Rett Syndrome Reseach Trust’ think they can cure it. The charity is set to undergo clinical trials in 2019.

“We thought we were dealing with autism for the rest of our lives. And now there is a ton of researchers looking into a cure using gene therapy,” Marcotte said. “We just couldn't believe it.”

However, finishing that research comes with a hefty price tag. So Marcotte started a Facebook fundraiser. In three days, it raised more than $5,400.

“It just felt like a bunch of hugs came in over Facebook,” Marcotte said.

Although the amount raised may not be the $12.8 million the charity needs to find a cure, Marcotte said it's a step towards improving the lives of more than 350,000 girls dealing with the disorder worldwide.

If there could be a cure, it would mean that she could live an independent live,” she said. “It would mean that she could communicate better. It would mean that she wouldn't have medical problems. It would mean that she could ride a bike.”