Third appeal to find Caitlin donor

Caitlin says she wants her bone marrow to get better

The family of a six-year-old girl who needs a bone marrow transplant have pleaded for more people to come forward after another unsuccessful attempt to find a match.

Caitlin Behan, from Weston Favell, Northamptonshire, has a rare form of anaemia, called Fanconi anaemia, which means a single bruise could prove fatal.

The policeman's daughter needs a bone marrow donor to help cure the condition, but so far two screening days have failed to turn up an ideal match.

Her parents Mark and Bernie Behan are now hoping an open surgery day in Northampton on Thursday 4 December will prove successful.

Overwhelming support

Volunteers, who must be aged between 18 and 43, will be asked to fill in a questionnaire and speak to someone from the Anthony Nolan Trust before having a blood test.

The screening will be in the Great Hall at The Guildhall in St Giles Square between 1200 and 1600 GMT.

The last surgery at Northampton Saints Rugby Club on 12 November attracted more than 450 people and about 300 volunteers attended a previous screening in October.

Fanconi anaemia affects bone marrow, stopping the blood from fighting infections and preventing clotting.

The only chance for Caitlin to have a normal life is by having a bone marrow transplant.

Her father, a sergeant in Northamptonshire Police, said he had been overwhelmed by the support shown by the public so far and pleaded for more people to come forward.