A MOTHER from Basingstoke is urging members of the community to consider donating blood and stem cells after her own daughter's poor health.

Taruna Kundra's daughter, Zara, 10, was first diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in 2019.

Taruna said: "Zara's platelet level was really low, and we discovered she had leukemia. We were living in Kuwait at the time, and Zara ended up spending nearly seven months in hospital."

Zara beat cancer and entered remission, before moving back to the UK with her family in August 2021, where she started attending Castle Hill Primary School. Zara had a regular check-up appointment not long after, when Taruna had a feeling that Zara 'wasn't quite right'.

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Taruna continued: "On March 15, 2022, Zara relapsed. She had been in remission for nearly two years, but that same day she was taken straight to Southampton hospital, where she stayed for intensive chemotherapy for a month."

Zara was transferred to Royal Marsden in Sutton for a stem cell transplant. Zara initially could not find a donor, but a close match was made by the Royal Marsden and Anthony Nolan, which arranged for cells to be transferred from the USA.

The transplant was made on June 16, 2022, after a 10-day course of chemotherapy. Despite this, Zara was admitted to Royal Marsden in December 2022 after developing GvHD - where the graft reacts against the host. The graft is the marrow or stem cells from the donor.

Basingstoke Gazette:

Zara was discharged from hospital on January 10, this year, and has been steadily getting better ever since.

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Taruna said: "I wish there was a magic wand that I could wave which would take it all away. It's a horrible thing for anyone to go through, but particularly when it's your own child, you just want to be able to help.

"I would love to be able to encourage others to take part in giving blood or registering to be a stem cell donor. It's very easy to register or sign up, and by signing up you will be helping your fellow human. Your registration could make a difference and save someone's life. In my eyes, that is the greatest gift you could ever give anyone."

More information on Zara's journey can be found at dkms.org.uk/get-involved/virtual-drives/zara. For information on how to join the stem cell register see anthonynolan.org/help-save-a-life/join-stem-cell-register, or go to blood.co.uk to give blood.