Burnham: Drive For More Bone Marrow Donors

28 February 2014, 17:16 | Updated: 28 February 2014, 17:27

The grandmother of a boy from Burnham-on-Crouch with a rare form of Lueukaemia has been telling Heart more needs to be done to get more people to donate bone marrow.

Seven year-old Laughlin Whitely was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia last year and needs a stem cell donation to help save his life. 

One donor has been identified and Laughlin is scheduled to undergo the treatment soon but a campaign has now started to raise awareness of condition and to encourage more people to donate. 

Laughlin's grandmother, Barbara Poyser, says it is easier than you think: "People, myself included, have been under the impression that when you give bone marrow you get an injection in your back but it isn't like that anymore. 

"First of all they take a swab from your mouth and send it away to be analysed, then they ask people to come in to the hospital and take blood. It's as simple as that. 

"It's just the same as going to the doctors and they give it to someone who's a match. We just want people to realise their blood could save someone's life." 

An event is going on in Burnham to get people to sign up as donors. 

The event will take place from 11am-4pm on Saturday 1st March at St Mary's Primary School, Marsh Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, CM0 8LZ. 

Anyone in good general health between the ages of 18-55 can register as a potential stem cell donor and pre-registration is possible from the age of 17.