Plea for bone marrow donor

The parents of a toddler whose survival hinges on finding a suitable bone marrow donor pleaded today for more Asian volunteers to come forward.

Ibrahim Meer who will be two on 18 December, has been in hospital for a year undergoing gruelling blood transfusions every other day.

He suffers from Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis, a cancer-like disease which only effects about 30 children in the UK each year. He needs a bone-marrow transplant and a donor needs to be found in a matter of weeks to ensure his survival.

His father Samil, 30, from Lewisham said: "All of the family have been tested, but none of us is a perfect match."

There are more than 300,000 registered bonemarrow donors, but less than two per cent are Asian. A match is most likely to be found in someone with the same ethnic background.

In a last-ditch attempt to find a matching donor, a clinic is being held from 3.30pm to 7pm today at Power League Catford, Private Banks Sports Ground, Canadian Avenue, Catford.

Volunteers must be aged between 18 and 40, or 43 for Asian or other ethnic minorities, weigh at least eight stone and be in general good health.

For more information, call the Anthony Nolan Trust on 09018 822 234.