A north-east mum whose daughter is going through cancer treatment has appealed for people to donate blood.
Rona Ballantyne made the plea after her daughter, Corran, five, received a total of 12 transfusions since being diagnosed with a neuroblastoma earlier this year.
The youngster, who is from near Fraserburgh, has been receiving treatment at both Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.
Rona, 42, said: “Corran has had 12 transfusions because with having chemotherapy, everyone needs to have their cells replaced, red blood cells, because the chemo attacks them and the white blood cells to help fight off infections.
“She has had a mix of both.
“We have always been quite lucky because Corran does not have a rare blood type, she has B+ and whenever there is low supply I think the blood bank is pretty good about sending out an appeal for people to visit the blood donors.
“However, some people are not as lucky with others having more rare blood types.
“It is true that blood not only goes to people in emergency situations, it goes to kids and adults that go through cancer treatment.
“Because of Corran’s type of cancer she cannot get a bone marrow transplant, so she will just receive blood transfusions and stem cell transplants.”
Corran was diagnosed with a high risk neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that forms in the nerve tissue where it has spread to other places in her body. It is a rare type of cancer in the UK, with only around 95 diagnoses annually. It is more common in children under the age of five.
The Lochpots Primary School pupil is currently receiving chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant.
Rona, who also has a son, Rohan, 10, said: “At this moment in time she is coping but she is going through a lot.”
The family have set up a fundraising page for any money raised in Corran’s name.
More than £31,000 has been raised so far, which will go towards cancer support and cancer research charities.
To donate in Corran’s name go to
http://bit.ly/2Jtzfld
and to keep up-to-date with Corran’s fight search for Corran’s Hopes on Facebook. To register to be a blood donor go to
http://bit.ly/2MZZNwu
.
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