The life of a young leukaemia victim has been saved by ecstatic Frances Gillespie - 20 years after she first volunteered to be a bone marrow donor.

Frances, 46, of Coverley Road, Headington, Oxford, finally gave hope to the young girl who is battling against blood cancer. She will never know the child's identity.

The mother-of-two said today: "I've been called up twice before for tests, but I never matched the patient.

"So when they called me up this year I couldn't believe it was happening. I suppose you think it will never happen.

"I just know I have helped her and that she seems to be doing all right so far." To become a donor, Frances had a litre of bone marrow removed in an operation at London's University College Hospital. The marrow was transplanted the same day and she has received regular updates about the child's progress since.

She said: "Although it sounds awful, it was not a big ordeal.

"I will be quite happy to do it again, but I hope I don't have to wait another 20 years."

Transplants are necessary when bone marrow is so diseased or damaged that it cannot function normally.

To destroy all leukaemia cells, it may be necessary to use treatment so strong it completely destroys the marrow.

Bone marrow is so specific to each person that many victims never have the chance to receive the vital transplant. Frances registered as a donor in 1979 after being moved by the death of Anthony Nolan, an eight-year-old boy who lost his long battle against blood cancer.

His family founded the bone marrow trust that still bears his name and has 290,000 people registered as donors.

The trust needs more people and is aiming for a 400,000-strong list by the end of the year.

Frances's two children are Michael, 25, and Hailey, 21. She lives with her partner Nigel Morgan, 47, and his daughter Sara, ten.

To register as a potential donor, call Anna Spencer on 01865 875757.

Story date: Friday 19 November

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