The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Lochgelly family make contact with marrow donor who saved Ava’s life.
LOCHGELLY: Stem cell donor gives six-year-old Fifer the ultimate gift
A woman from America is the stem cell donor who saved the life of Fife schoolgirl Ava Stark.
Six-year-old Ava, of Lochgelly, who was diagnosed with bone marrow failure at the age of three, had a stem cell transplant in 2016 after a widespread appeal for as many people as possible to sign up with the Anthony Nolan charity as potential donors.
Now the family has been allowed to write to the anonymous donor to thank her for saving their little girl’s life.
Marie, 36, said: “We have been told our letter was passed on It took us a few months to write, not because of the size but because of what we wanted to say.
“We wanted that one letter to give as much detail as possible but without giving away names, ages, location or gender. We wanted them to know how absolutely amazing and special they are, and how one decision changed our whole world.”
Marie said the family was fully aware that the donor may only want to make limited contact.
She added: “We got contact details and have now officially put together the special scrapbook we will make and send to her – it’s a lovely lady who is our hero.
“We know that after sending this it might be the only chance we get. We aren’t going into this with blinkers on.
“We know people might not want full-on contact, we know families are very different so this one thing must be special.
“If they decide that was enough for them then we will still love them all the same.
“They gave us extra time, extra laughs and extra cuddles with Ava and that will never be taken away.”
Ava’s story touched the hearts of the nation with more than 80,000 people registering to help.
Bone marrow failure meant her body was unable to produce blood cells and she relied on blood and platelet transfusions to stay alive.
Following a series of heartbreaks, a match was eventually found and she underwent the transplant on November 25, 2016.
The Anthony Nolan charity (www.anthonynolan.org) is part of an international network of donor registers.
“They gave us extra time, extra laughs and extra cuddles with Ava and that will never be taken away