Donor drive for 7-year-old girl with Leukaemia

The first of three events to help find a bone marrow donor for seven-year-old Rhiane Francois, who has Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, was held in Coventry today.

Rhiane was diagnosed with Leukaemia in September 2012 and her family are holding similar events in London and Glasgow in the hope they can find a suitable match.

Events are being held up-and-down the country in an attempt to find a donor for a seven year old girl suffering from cancer. Rhiane Francois was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in September 2012, and is in desperate need of donors who match her blood type.

The events will be taking place in London, Coventry and Glasgow. Today's event in the Midlands starts at 1.30pm today at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry.

Comedian Paul Chowdry is supporting Rhiane's donor drive. He said:

"I'm honoured to be involved in Rhiane's Campaign.

"We all need to raise awareness and make a change within our communities just like this brave seven-year-old Rhiane is doing from her hospital bed."

Anyone who is healthy and between the ages of 18-55 is encouraged to register as a potential stem cell donor- all it takes is a cheek swab.

Rihane has already undergone several rounds of chemotherapy, and is relying on blood and stem cell donations to save her life.

A campaign to find a bone marrow donor for a seven-year-old girl from Coventry, has been taking place today.

Rhiane Francois has an aggressive form of leukaemia. If her last session of chemotherapy does not work, then her only hope is a bone marrow transplant.

Jane Hesketh reports.

A seven-year-old girl from Coventry, who has leukaemia, has written to Santa to ask for a potentially life-saving bone marrow transplant.

In the letter, Rhiane Francois, who has Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, wrote she doesn't want any presents this year, she just wants to get better.

Rhiane is undergoing chemotherapy, but if that dosen't work she must have a transplant.

Today a bone marrow registration event in Coventry is appealing for donors, particularly from Black and Asian backgrounds, to sign up to the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register.

There is a shortage of donors from ethnic minority backgrounds, reducing the chance of finding a suitable match for Rhiane who is half Indian half Mauritian.

Read: Life saving donor event for 7-year-old with Leukaemia

A bone marrow registration event is taking place in Coventry today to try to find a potentially life-saving transplant for a 7-year-old girl with leukaemia.

Rhiane Francois has Acute Myeloid Leukaemia and is undergoing chemotherapy, but if that doesn't work she'll need a bone marrow transplant.

Being half Indian, half Mauritian, she has a reduced chance of finding a donor match because there are fewer Asian and Black people signed up as bone marrow donors.

Today, the event at the Gurdwara Nanak Prakash in Coventry aims to tackle that. Between 1.00pm and 6:00pm people from every background are being encouraged to sign up to the transplant register.

And it does work, last month 2-year-old Guarav Bains from Tipton in the Black Country found a stem cell match after a similar push to encourage more donors to come forward. He is in hospital after having his operation on Thursday.

Read: Bone marrow donor found for toddler with rare disorder

This week Rhiane has received a letter of support from the Queen, as the little girl tries to find herself a donor match.

Read: Queen writes to seven year-old girl with Leukaemia