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From: Hull Daily Mail 8/4/2003
Date: 22/04/03
Time: 21:17:27
Remote Name: 212.50.171.169
FINANCIAL SUCCESS FOR DONOR CAMPAIGN
09:30 - 08 April 2003
A family's campaign to improve the survival rate of leukaemia sufferers has received renewed financial support from the Government. Paul and Mandy Barnett took their case to health minister Hazel Blears last week.
They were seeking a commitment to support a rapidly growing register of potential bone marrow donors.
The Barnetts were pleased with the minister's enthusiastic response.
She pledged £10m over three years to support the register and £1m over one year to begin a programme to freeze umbilical cords.
If babies have their umbilical cords frozen, a bone marrow transplant is not necessary in the event of a child developing leukaemia.
"We got what we were asking for and more," said Mr Barnett.
"We are now looking at another 40,000 donors each year for the next three years.
"That will almost double the register to 160,000 potential donors. It's great news."
The money will go to the national blood service.
The service supports three recently established laboratories which test the genetic tissue of potential bone marrow donors.
The UK register is now the fastest growing in the world.
The Barnett's daughter, Molly-Ann, beat odds of 90,000 to one to find a suitable donor in America.