The transgender star, born Haroldo Danhakl, who is best known for her roles in Andy Warhol's 1970s movies Trash and Women in Revolt, is currently fighting for her life at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Doctors have discovered lesions on the 68 year old's brain and lungs but are yet to determine the cause.

According to the campaign website, "her condition is dire" but Woodlawn has "made it clear that she wants to return home, surrounded by friends and if she must die, she doesn't want to die in a nursing home".

Her longtime friend Penny Arcade launched the fundraising drive to cover the costs of 24-hour nursing care, her funeral and "last resting place", and the campaign has raised $38,000 (£24,000) of the $50,000 (£31,000) target within four days.

Arcade tells The Hollywood Reporter, "We just want to create an amount of money that can take care of Holly... She gave of herself to the world, she inspired many, many people, she saved many lives and she entertained us. For all of that she deserves to be taken care of at her weakest."