Appeal for Asian donors to help boy with blood disorder

Ihsan Khan, six, pictured with mum Assia, has aplastic anaemia and needs a bone marrow transplant

A family is appealing for donors to find a "life-saving" match for their six-year old son.

Ihsan Khan, from Leegomery in Telford, suffers from the rare blood disorder aplastic anaemia and needs a bone marrow transplant.

His father, Imran, said a shortage of Asian donors makes finding a match more difficult.

Potential donors are being invited to attend screening sessions being held at town mosques.

Mr Khan says if no match is found for Ihsan, who is currently undergoing treatment at Birmingham Children's Hospital, the consequences would be severe.

"When I come back to this house and I see it empty, he's not here...emotionally it is very hurtful and draining," he said.

"We are hoping we can find a match as soon as possible."

Ihsan's father, Imran Khan, is urging people from the Asian community to join the donor register

Aplastic anaemia is where the body does not produce enough new blood cells and is also known as bone marrow failure.

Mr Khan said the "only treatment" for Ihsan is a transplant.

The drive has been organised by the charity Race Against Blood Cancer, which aims to increase the number and diversity of people of registered donors.

Donors can be of any ethnicity, but Ihsan may stand a better chance of finding a match within the Asian community.

"Even if it isn't a match for Ihsan...it could be a match for someone's loved one," Mr Khan said.

"My appeal is to anyone but I do strongly urge Asian people, especially, to register."

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The sessions are being held Telford Central Mosque in King Street, Wellington on Friday from 16.30 BST and Jamia Masjid Gousia, on Regent Street, also in Wellington, on Saturday from 12:00 BST.

People who cannot attend the session, but wish to donate, can also register online.

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