A brave Fife youngster who has touched the hearts of thousands has had a potentially life-saving bone marrow transplant.
Little Ava Stark, 3, from Lochgelly, is recovering in hospital after the operation which should give her a second chance at life.
Ava suffers from inherited bone marrow failure, which prevents her from producing blood cells, and her mum Marie was told that she would die without a transplant.
Two previous donors pulled out at the last minute, but a worldwide search uncovered two more donors – with the long-awaited operation taking place on Friday.
Describing November 25 as Ava’s “second birthday”, Marie commented: “This is her second chance at life so it seems only right that she now celebrates this day too.”
The operation took place at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and Ava is expected to spend the next few weeks in isolation as doctors monitor her condition.
Once she starts producing healthy blood cells, she will be allowed home but will still be closely monitored for the next two years.
Marie added: “I really want to know who the donor is but we won’t find out for two years. But I just cannot thank that person enough – I’ll be eternally grateful.
The marrow was harvested from the anonymous donor at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield before being driven by courier up to Glasgow.
Amy Bartlett, the regional register development manager in Scotland for the charity Anthony Nolan, said: “We’re so delighted that Ava found not one but two potentially life-saving donors.
“The public’s response to Ava’s plight has been remarkable.
“We saw an unprecedented amount of people joining the register to try to help her. Every one of these could potentially be a life-saving match for someone else.
“Our thoughts are with Ava and her family, who have shown incredible bravery and stoicism in the face of such a desperate situation.”
