WE ARE asking our readers to support six-year-old Marley Nicholls and his family as his search for a life-saving bone marrow donor continues.

Marley has been diagnosed with a serious and rare blood condition called aplastic anaemia.

Since news of his condition broke last year, tens of thousands of people have joined the Marrow for Marley campaign and signed up for the bone marrow register, but a match has yet to be found.

Marley has required multiple blood transfusions and has to visit the hospital regularly. His parents have dedicated all their time to supporting their son, and father Joe has taken a month off work, unpaid, to be at home.

This has understandably tightened the family's purse strings. To help Marley and his family, their friends have set up an online fundraising page to help cover the costs of bills and living expenses while Marley undergoes treatment.

And the Argus is asking its readers to support Marley and his family in this time of urgent need.

This week, at Great Ormond Street children's hospital in London, Marley will begin a clinical trial of a new type of treatment called immunosuppressant therapy.

This will give him a chance of going into remission, and will buy him some time until a donor is found, but the treatment in itself is not a cure for aplastic anaemia.

Speaking to the Argus on Monday, Marley's mum Shaney Truman said: "We start treatment tomorrow in Great Ormond Street. He will miss his little brother George so much. We will be in London for a few weeks pending how he reacts to the treatment, but hoping it will be successful and gives us more time to find a donor.

"We're unbelievably proud of Marley. He takes it all in his stride. We've brought lots of home comforts to London with us and he's making himself at home.

"The treatment has some nasty side-effects but I've got great trust and faith in his doctors at Great Ormond Street."

To donate to the fundraiser supporting Marley and his family, visit: www.gofundme.com/sqymt-marrow-for-marley

  • In conjunction with the Marrow for Marley campaign, the Argus will hold a swab event at Newport Centre on Saturday, April 20, 10am-4pm, to continue the search for a matching donor for Marley.