Mum's plea for more Asian stem cell donors

Layla has had repeated bone marrow failures following treatment for an aggressive brain tumour

The mother of a three-year-old girl who needs a stem cell donor is urging more Asian people to register as donors.

Nimita Mistry, from Reading, said she has less than a year to find a suitable donor match for her daughter Layla.

The young girl has had repeated bone marrow failures following treatment for an aggressive brain tumour in 2016.

Of the 1.3 million registered donors at the end of 2016, fewer than 6% were of Asian ethnicity, according to blood cancer charity DKMS.

If you are white Northern European your chances of finding a match are 69%, the charity states.

This drops to 20% if you are from a BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) background, according to its data.

Layla pictured at her second birthday party, a month before she was diagnosed

Lisa Nugent of DKMS told the BBC: "Two in every three patients who require a transplant are like Layla and have to look outside of their family for a matching donor.

"By working with families to raise awareness of their need we are able to increase the number of people from all communities and ethnicities on the UK register, improving the chances of finding a match for Layla and patients like her.

"I would encourage anyone between the ages of 17-55 and in general good health to consider joining the UK register."

She added that in 90% of cases donation is via a method similar to giving blood.

A donor drive to encourage Asian people to join the stem cell registry is being held in Reading on Saturday 16 June at Reading Hindu temple, supported by DKMS.