Croydon schoolgirl Imogin Appiah's desperate plea for bone marrow donor (From Your Local Guardian)

Croydon schoolgirl Imogin Appiah's desperate plea for bone marrow donor

12:00pm Saturday 14th March 2009

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The mother of a six-year-old girl with leukaemia has said that if her daughter does not get a bone marrow transplant she will die.

The Croydon Guardian has been highlighting the plight of little Imogin Appiah, 6, who has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Doctors at the Royal Marsden Hospital have said that Imogin has a very aggressive form of leukaemia that could lead to a relapse unless she gets a bone marrow transplant quickly.

Imogin’s mum, Sheila, has called on people in the Croydon community to register at a bone marrow drive to find a donor for her daughter.

She said: “People from the community should be supporting each other. A bone marrow transplant is Imogin’s best hope of survival so please make time to give a bit of blood.”

However, Sheila, of Aurelia Road, is trying to stay positive about her daughter’s disease. On Friday Imogin wore a red nose and a bright red t-shirt. "I’m supporting her by doing the same,” Sheila said on Red Nose Day.

Watch Imogen's mother in donor plea

Beverley De Gale, founder of the African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust, has urged people to go to the donor registration day on March 23.

Beverley’s son Daniel had a successful bone marrow transplant in 1999 and she has been inspirational in raising awareness of leukaemia amongst the black community.

There will be a presentation at the registration drive to educate people about bone marrow transplants.

She said: “Come forward to help another human being and you could be a hero.”

You can help Imogin by going to a donor registration day on March 23 at the Croydon Higher Education building between 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

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