Could you help save man's life?

A MOTHER is urging people to sign up as bone marrow donors and possibly save her son's life.

Doctors have told 22-year-old leukaemia sufferer Matt Carver, from Newport, he has only a 10 per cent chance of survival if he does not have a vital bone marrow transplant.

Now his mother Tereas Carver, 45, of Cae Brynton Road, Gaer, has set up a donor clinic on Tuesday, April 15 at Gaer Junior School with the help of the Anthony Nolan Trust.

Matt's two younger sisters, aged nine and 13, have already been tested but were not found to be a match despite a one in four chance of siblings being suitable donors.

She said: "You can be the difference between someone living and someone dying. That is what it comes down to with these illnesses.

"Matt needs a donor and it could possibly be someone who registers next week."

Oxford graduate Matt, who is a former pupil at Ger Junior School, discovered he had leukaemia on January 31 after visiting the doctors about a cut.

He was recently forced to stop studying for an Oxford medieval masters as a result.

After two courses of chemotherapy, doctors hope to to carry out a bone marrow transplant by May or June if a donor is found.

Mrs Carver said: "The news was very sudden because Matt had no idea he was ill.

"He had a couple of bruises on his shins, which he thought were from riding his bike. Then he cut himself and it wouldn't stop bleeding, so he went to see his GP.

"He had a blood test and within hours he had a phone call asking him to come to hospital and that he would be in for about a month. They were fairly sure it was leukaemia."

Mr Carver said: "Even if the clinic doesn't find a donor for me, they might find one for someone else. That's the nice thing about it."