Mum calls for blood donors after girl's treatment

A mother has praised blood donors after her four-year-old daughter's battle with leukaemia and has called for more to come forward.

Etta was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in September 2022, aged one. She needed up to 15 blood transfusions to help her recover from the impact of her chemotherapy.

Her mother Becky, 33, from Needham Market, Suffolk, described the blood Etta received as an "incredible gift" and was thankful it was there when she needed it.

She wants more people to donate blood, with the NHS saying England remained in amber alert for low blood stocks.

Becky said: "Last Easter, Etta was receiving intensive chemotherapy, only coming home from hospital very briefly before needing to return for a blood transfusion.

"Thankfully, this year, Etta has finished her treatment and will hopefully be able to spend Easter at home with her family and making happy memories."

The mum, who is a blood donor herself, said: "With Etta's condition, people always ask, 'What can I do to help?', and I always say, 'Donate blood.'

"It's the most incredible gift and people who donate blood are nothing but lifesavers."

NHS Blood and Transplant said: "O negative and B negative blood types are particularly needed over the coming weeks.

"There also remains an ongoing need for more donors of black heritage, to help patients with sickle cell who need ethnically matched blood."

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