The mother of a former Lothersdale girl who has leu-kaemia is urging Keighley people to attend a bone marrow testing clinic.

Four-year-old India Farmer is being treated at St James' Hospital, Leeds, for a relapse of her leukaemia which she was first diagnosed with in 1996. Doctors need a matching donor to do the bone marrow transplant which will be her best chance for long-term survival.

Her mum Joanna says doctors have allowed India, who was born at Airedale Hospital in 1993, to return to the family home in Harrogate for a few days. "She has just finished her latest chemotherapy treatment," says Joanna. "We will find out whether or not she is still in remission."

Joanna also says she is hoping there will be some good news when they return to the hospital. "A lot of people have come forward for bone marrow testing and we would like to think a suitable donor can be found," she says.

Meanwhile, she is appealing to the people of Keighley to attend a special clinic being held by the Anthony Nolan Trust at the Dyneley House surgery in Skipton. The surgery's nursing sister Liz Barrett, whose daughter used to play with India when she was younger, says there are criteria for people wanting to test for bone marrow donation. Volunteers should:

be aged 18-40

weigh more than eight stones if they are Caucasian or seven stones if they are Asian

be in good health.

"For various reasons it appears men make the more suitable donors," says Sister Barrett, "So we would ask as many as possible to volunteer."

Anyone who would like to volunteer should attend the surgery in Newmarket Street on Monday between 6-9pm.

For further information ring the surgery on (01756) 799711 or the Anthony Nolan Trust on 0171 284 1234.

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