A donor has been found for the Alves youngster, who suffers from a rare blood disorder which saps him of all his energy.

'Northern Scot' readers took Kyle's plight to heart after his condition came to light earlier this year, helping Elgin's Dr Gray's Hospital children's ward staff raise a staggering £11,000 locally for bone marrow charity, The Anthony Nolan Trust.

And Kyle's mum June was overjoyed when the trust contacted her with the news her family had been praying for – Kyle's perfect match had been identified.

It means he will be able to enjoy his birthday on Wednesday knowing that he has been given the chance to live like a normal teenager.

"It was just brilliant news," Mrs Whyte said. "Even though it wasn't a long time to wait, it felt like it had been and it was really, really good when we found there was a match.

"This could have a huge impact on him and within six months to a year, he could be leading a normal life."

Kyle will begin eight weeks of chemotherapy next Sunday, only days after celebrating his 16th with a special family day.

His plight was featured in the 'Scot' back in March, when it was revealed that he had been born with a deficiency of the red blood cells which had taken effect last year to leave him sapped of his strength and unable to play football with his friends.

A fear of hospitals and a desire to be 'one of the boys' meant that Kyle kept his bouts of fatigue to himself, until taking ill on a family holiday. Regular transfusions left him constantly prone to infections, and doctors said a bone marrow transplant was the only solution.

The youngster was at the forefront of a bone marrow drive highlighted in the 'Scot', which triggered a massive response from Moray people keen to offer any help they could.

A similar event will be staged at Leanchoil Hospital in Forres – on the day of Kyle's birthday – when it is hoped more donors can be found to help 7,000 people like the frail Alves youngster who desperately need a life-changing transplant.

Mrs Whyte said her son had to undergo further tests to ensure his match was 100%, and she realises that although he faces a long road to recovery, he is one of the lucky ones.

On July 27 Kyle will undergo his first session of chemotherapy, which will remove all his existing bone marrow before they can transplant the new tissue. He will spend a month in an isolation unit, and after the operation he will not be allowed to go back to school at Forres Academy for another three months because of the risk of infection.

"After everything he's already been through, he was just a bit apprehensive when he got the news. It's a huge thing for a 16-year-old to undertake.

Dr Gray's staff nurses Angela Sowden and Claire Haque were at the forefront of the fund-raising campaign which culminated in the five-figure sum being handed over to the Anthony Nolan Trust this week.

The funding helped the hospital to host April's bone marrow drive, and the charity is hoping next week's Forres clinic sparks a similar response.

Area chairman for the North of Scotland Round Table Kenny McKenna attended the Elgin event and was so impressed with the charity's work, he decided to offer his organisation's support by assisting the latest clinic.

The Anthony Nolan donor recruitment manager encouraged anyone aged between 18 and 40 to come along to Leanchoil between 4pm and 7pm on Wednesday and find out of they have the potential to save someone's life.

Mr McKenna said: "We had a great response at our last clinic in Elgin when 65 people joined the register and I'm very grateful to Kenny and everyone else at the Round Table, who have helped organise the upcoming clinic at Forres.

"Joining the bone marrow register could be one of the most important and rewarding steps that a person could take, as potentially they could be the only person in the world who is a match for a patient with a life-threatening illness."

For further information on the Forres clinic and to find out how to join The Anthony Nolan Trust register visit www.anthonynolan.org.uk or call 0901 8833324.

c.christie@northern-scot.co.uk

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