Family's desperate plea to save life of girl, 13, with extremely rare blood disorder
Doctors said Millie Fairley needs a stem cell transplant to treat aplastic anaemia, which affects around two people in every million in the UK.
An urgent appeal has been made for a stem cell donor by the family of a teenage girl living with an extremely rare blood disorder.
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Hayley Fairley, 47, said she "doesn't know what we'll do" if they don't find a candidate to save the life of her daughter Millie, 13, who has aplastic anaemia.
Affecting around two people in every million in the UK, the condition means the bone marrow cannot make enough new blood cells for the body to work normally, making it harder to fight infection, stop bleeding or carry oxygen.
Ms Fairley, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, said Millie is "so vulnerable" she's forced to isolate at home or in hospital, meaning that she's missing out on adolescent milestones.
She said: “She can’t see her friends, and it’s been a really lonely time for her. We just want her to get better, so that she can have her life back.”
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To treat the condition, doctors have said Millie, who receives regular treatment at Brighton Royal Children's Hospital, needs a stem cell transplant.
Ms Fairley said: “If we can’t find a donor, I don’t know what we’ll do."
She said it was "so upsetting" when none of the family was a match and is "on edge" trying to find a donor.
“It’s a huge amount of stress for all our family," Ms Fairley added.
Millie’s family are now working with blood cancer charity DKMS in a bid to encourage more people to register as donors and hopefully find her a match.
Ms Fairley said: “It’s so important that people know that they can register as donors.“You have a chance to do something so positive.
"I feel like getting the word out has given me some power to do something good in all this.
“Please think about signing up, it could change someone’s life, maybe even my daughter’s.”
DKMS spokesperson Bronagh Hughes said: “For Millie and patients like her, a total stranger joining the register could give them their lives back.
“The process is very simple, it’s so easy to give someone a second chance.“Joining the register only requires a quick health questionnaire and a few simple and painless mouth swabs.
“It takes 10 minutes of your time, but you could be the match that Millie, or someone else like her, is waiting for.
“If you are matched to a patient and called up to donate, nine times out of 10 you can donate through your blood, similar to donating blood platelets, and DKMS will be there to support you through the whole journey.