Cancer girl's 100-day landmark

Anna Culshaw and her father Eddie before she had the operation

A seven-year-old girl has passed an important 100-day milestone in her recovery from a life-saving bone marrow transplant.

Anna Culshaw, from Carrog in Denbighshire, underwent surgery for a rare form of cancer in the summer.

She cannot return to school until after Christmas because of the risk of infection.

A nationwide appeal for donors was launched after it emerged that there were no suitable transplant matches.

Her father Eddie Culshaw said they would still like to thank the anonymous donor who saved Anna's life.

"We owe the NHS, the donor and all the people who came forward a huge debt," said Mr Culshaw.

Anna is able to go outside when the weather is fine

She was diagnosed with myelodisplkasia, a rare form of cancer which prevents her bone marrow making enough red blood cells and which affects only a handful people in the UK.

The 39-year-old man was one of three donors who emerged as a suitable match, but Anna's family still do not know his identity.

"He may not know that Anna was the recipient," said Mr Culshaw.

"We may never meet whoever saved out daughter's life but just to say thank you would be nice.

"It is a debt we cannot ever repay - our debt is huge, what a fantastic gift."

The surgery took place successfully at Alder Hey Children's Hosp[ital in Liverpool in early July and Anna was able to return home to be with her parents and brother Joseph within a couple of weeks.

Mr Culshaw said Anna was continuing to recover well but it was still "early days".

Christmas list

"She is very well in herself but after a transplant there is a mandatory six month period before she can go to school which takes us to the beginning of next year.

"We were told that the first 100 days were the critical days and we have just passed that, which is a milestone for us.

He said the risk of infection for Anna is still fairly high and she has to keep away from crowded areas like shopping centres and people with colds and flu.

But the youngster has home tuition once a week and is currently busy doing her Christmas list.

Hundreds flocked to Anna's school - Ysgol Caer Drewyn in Corwen - in April to give blood samples in the search for a suitable donor to save Anna's life.

The appeal by the Anthony Nolan Trust proved successful.

"An awful lot of people came forward on the register and hopefully they will be able to help other people," said Mr Culshaw.

"At the time literally hundreds of people came on the register and there are still lots of patients looking for donors - it just goes on."