donate blood for abi’s sake

Abigail Case was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia – bone marrow failure – on December 14 and her only chance of survival is a bone marrow/stem cell transplant.

Now her family are appealing for people to donate blood and consider going on the bone marrow register.

Great grandmother Sadie Moore, 73, who lives on Crossley Street, said she was devastated when she heard the news. “It has turned my world upside down. We are currently told that Abi can only continue to receive transfusions for the next six months. The outcome of no donor being found is impossible to contemplate.

“She’s a right little cutie – she’s very clever and sociable.”

Abigail, from Mackworth, was diagnosed after six weeks of tests, during which it was feared she might have leukaemia. The condition she does suffer from is so rare, her parents Gideon and Rebecca believe there are only between 40 and 50 reported cases in the country.

Abigail’s uncle George Moore, who also lives in Ripley, said: “Abi has a zero white blood cell count so any infection could take her away. We can’t take her out of the house. She has absolutely no immune system. We have to take her temperature every four hours – if it spikes she has to go into hospital for antibiotics.”

People under 50 can begin the bone marrow registration process online at www.anthonynolan.org/what-you-can-do/save-a-life/online-application.aspx

Alternatively you can register for the bone marrow database with the blood transfusion service when you next give blood. You can make an appointment to be a blood donor online at www.blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 2323.

Mrs Moore, who volunteers in the BHF shop in Ripley, said: “Even if it doesn’t help Abi it might help someone else.”