My last hope to find a bone marrow donor

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Karla Neckles, 21, is desperately calling for people of mixed race to donate bone marrow in the hope of a match.

The mother of two from Redbridge was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in January.

But because her mother is white and her father part Grenadian her chances of finding a bone marrow donor are slim — and she has been told that without a transplant she has weeks to live.

Most matches are found from within the same ethnic community as the patient, but people of mixed race make up just three per cent of the register.

The Anthony Nolan Trust is organising a recruitment session for donors next week.

Ms Neckles said: "I am really hoping there will be a big turnout of people wanting to give bone marrow."

She fell ill after the birth of her second son, Joshua, in November. The former gymnast, who also has a three-year-old son called Lenny, said: "I found bruises all over my body, and felt depressed and tired. My GP sent me for a blood test — when they called me back for more tests I knew there was a problem.

"Being told I had leukaemia was a pretty massive shock. I felt like someone had ripped my heart out — I really thought I was going to die."

Her mother Laura gave up work to look after Lenny and Joshua while she underwent chemotherapy.

Ms Neckles said: "I went into remission almost straight away. But after the last course of chemo, the leukaemia came back. I'd been doing so well and had no signs at all. Even the doctors were shocked."

They told Ms Neckles last month that her only hope was a bone marrow transplant.

She is in Queen's Hospital, Romford, waiting for a donor.

She said: "If people could find it in
their hearts to save someone's life — joining the register might not just save my life, you might save anyone. Please join the register."

The Anthony Nolan Trust will hold clinics next Thursday at Carpenters Primary School, Stratford.