AIMEE Read, the schoolgirl with the hopes of all of Bury behind her, has received her potentially life-saving bone marrow transplant.

She underwent treatment at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in Pendlebury on Friday evening (January 9). The brave five-year-old now faces at least a month in full-time isolation while her body fights to adjust to the new bone marrow, provided by a mystery donor.

Her mother Wendy, father Mark and grandmother Mrs Vicky Read, will maintain a constant bedside vigil, the only family members who will be allowed to see her.

Wendy, of Moorcroft, has seen her young son Jack only once in the last two weeks.

She said: "Aimee is as well as can be expected at this stage. She is quite well spirited in spite of her struggle against the side-effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and morphine. And she is missing her brother Jack.

"Her condition will deteriorate in the next couple of weeks as her body fights to adjust to the new bone marrow."

Aimee faces long periods of frustration and boredom in the aftermath of the transplant. Mr Chris Standring, a close friend of the family, has appealed for well-wishers to send messages of support to help keep up her spirits.

A pupil at Stubbins County Primary School in Ramsbottom, Aimee was diagnosed with leukaemia in September 1994.

She underwent chemotherapy treatment and was given a 70 per cent chance of survival.

But after 18 months in remission the leukaemia took hold again which meant that only a successful bone marrow transplant could save her.

Aimee has a rare bone marrow type and more than 300,000 would-be donors were checked for compatibility - unsuccessfully. More than 600 local people came forward and took part in a series of screenings after an appeal in the Bury Times in August.

A donor was finally found last month, the best Christmas present Aimee and her family could ever have wished for.

And although Aimee's story now has the prospect of reaching a wonderful conclusion, more than 5,000 patients in the UK are still waiting for a match to be found.

Wendy added: "I am grateful to all the people who came forward to help Aimee and I would encourage others to do the same. There will always be children needing transplants. They will only have hope if people keep coming forward as donors."

AIMEE'S DIARY OF LIFE

Saturday, December 20, 1997: Aimee admitted to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. She makes a bone marrow donation for herself. The marrow is taken out and frozen, only to be used if Aimee's body fails to accept the donor's bone marrow.

New Year's Eve: Aimee again admitted to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. She receives chemotherapy and anti-rejection drugs. What will 1998 bring for her?

Tuesday, January 6: Taken to Christie Hospital where chemotherapy continues. She receives full body radiation treatment.

Friday, January 9: Moved back to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. The bone marrow transplant starts at about 6pm and takes just over an hour.

Aimee will remain in isolation at the hospital for at least another four weeks. In the next two weeks her condition will deteriorate. Her body will recognise that the bone marrow is different and try to reject it. As the name indicates, anti-rejection drugs are taken to help prevent this.

She will remain in "semi-isolation" when she leaves hospital, hopefully at the end of the four weeks.

Mum Wendy said: "Some people are able to leave hospital sooner, others later. It depends on the individual. But we are working around a four-week schedule, at least for the time being."

Aimee should begin to show signs of improvement before she leaves hospital but it will not be known if the transplant has been successful for a full 12 months.

Wendy said: "The hospital and the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust will not tell us who the donor is until it is established that the transplant has been a success."

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