Patients across the country are looking to Bradford's Asian community to help save their lives.

Two patients in the district, Zahier Kazmi and Hamza Khan, have inspired a special clinic to be held next week with the hope of finding a bone marrow match for them both.

But if enough people come forward to sign up to become a bone marrow donor it could have wider implications for many desperately ill people across the country.

It is hoped to find people who could follow in the footsteps of Bradford man Mohammed Ramzan who recently donated bone marrow to a two-year-old girl. Mohammed said: "The possibility of being able to save someone's life is not going to cross your path every day. It is a very satisfying experience."

Nine-year-old Hamza Khan, of Spring Cliffe, Bradford, suffers from aplastic anaemia and 24-year-old Zahier Kazmi has Hodgkin's lymphoma.

For both the only cure is a bone marrow transplant. Both families have been tested as potential donors and are not a match. They are now reliant on complete strangers coming forward and providing the life-saving match they need.

Hamza's father Mav Khan, 38, said: "Hamza has to have platelet transfusions twice a week and a blood transfusion every three weeks. He is being admitted into hospital more frequently, with the stay lasting at least a week.

"The doctors have said his only chance of full recovery is to have a bone marrow transplant and since no one from the family is a match, we are now relying on a complete stranger."

Zahier, of Canterbury Avenue, Bradford, was just 20 when he was first diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and has had extensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

He said: "A lot of people from the Asian communities are unaware of the importance of coming forward to join the Anthony Nolan Trust register. Hopefully there will be a match for me, but if there isn't other people's lives could be saved."

There are many more Asian patients across the country who are looking to the clinic to provide a match for them.

Azra Iqbal, minority ethnic community donor recruitment manager for the Anthony Nolan Trust, said: "It is incredibly important that we get more of the black and minority ethnic community on the register as 70 per cent of people requiring a bone marrow transplant need an unrelated donor to save their life. The number of Asian donors on the register is less than three per cent."

Matching is performed on tissue type and is an inherited characteristic, so ethnic origin is vital.

The clinic takes place on Wednesday at the Grange Interlink Centre, Summerville Road, Bradford, between 6pm and 9pm.