A BRAVE Perthshire girl who lost her fight for life at the age of four is helping give life to others 12 years after her death.

Caron Gill from Burrelton died in 1993 after battling against aplastic anaemia, despite efforts to save her with a bone-marrow transplant.

At the time a group of work colleagues of her father, Colin, were tested to see if they would be suitable bone-marrow donors.

The Perthshire men have been on the register ever since.

Earlier this month Sandy Lipp from Blairgowrie was the third of them to become a donor.

Caron inspired Sandy to put his name forward, and yesterday he called on other people— particularly men aged 18-40— to contact the Anthony Nolan Trust and do the same.

“When I worked with Colin, Caron needed a bone-marrow transplant so myself and a few other local men got tested to hopefully become a donor.

“She didn’t get one from us but did get a transplant. Unfortunately she died soon after, though it was nothing to do with the transplant.

“I have been on the list ever since, and last September I got a test kit sent to me because I was a potential match.

“I went through the testing stage and in February I was told that I was a match for someone. I read through the information I was given and felt that there was no backing out. I went for a medical in London and two weeks ago I went back to London for the final blood tests, and was then hooked up to a machine for four hours. The transplant was carried out and there were no side-effects.”

Sandy, a lorry driver with Tesco distribution in Dundee, continued, “That now makes me the third person who was tested for Caron who has now donated.

“Caron’s mum, Lynne, still does a lot of fund-raising locally and is delighted that something good has happened for a third time out of their loss.

“I never imagined I would be called to do it, but when I came out I felt so chuffed—and that’s from someone who my wife Fiona will tell you hates needles!” he said.

“Apparently it happens a lot that people who go on the register for someone local end up a match for someone else. I would appeal for people to put themselves forward because out of a country with a population of over 55 million we only have 353,000 on the register.”

Lindsay MacCallum of the Anthony Nolan Trust added, “It’s wonderful to see that Caron’s legacy is living on like this.”

She said it costs £70 to fully tissue-type each new donor, and urged people to support the trust.

A Wallace Monument abseil is taking place on May 21, and for more information about this event and the work of the trust contact 01877 382149 or Email newdonor@anthonynolan.org.uk