Purple balloons for Sativa

Hundreds of purple balloons will rise to the heavens in a worldwide tribute to two-year-old Sativa Eagle who lost her battle with cancer this week.

Sativa passed away early on Wednesday morning and her funeral is being held tomorrow.

A Facebook page has been set up inviting people to go to Mullaloo Beach in Perth at 9am (2pm NZT) to let go of purple balloons as a tribute to the toddler whose journey inspired hundreds.

Messages on the Facebook page show those touched by Sativa's story who are dedicated to letting go of balloons wherever they are in Tauranga, Auckland, the Coromandel, Christchurch, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Newcastle, California and New York.

Sativa, twin sister to Indee, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on January 5, 2011, when she was just 4 months old.

In May this year Sativa, having already cheated death several times, received a bone marrow transplant, with the hope it would cure her.

But at the end of August, just days before the twins' second birthday she relapsed.

More bone marrow was injected into her body in a desperate bid to push out her cancerous cells, but on September 11 parents Sheree Roose and Tim Eagle were given the devastating news that their daughter was dying.

Sativa's brave, and at times miraculous, journey was charted on the Please Help Baby Sativa & Her Family Fight Leukemia Facebook page, which has amassed more than 5700 "likes".

Originally set up by a friend to support the family, Ms Roose has, over the past year, courageously shared her hopes and darkest fears on the page.

Sativa's funeral, which will be held at 11am on Saturday, at Greerton Bible Church, will have a purple theme - Sativa's favourite colour.

While it will be an open service, Ms Roose asks that people be respectful towards the family, and not approach them unless they know them personally.