LITTLE Amy Parry is inviting all to her black-tie ball to raise funds for the charity which offers support and undertakes research into the rare genetic blood disorder she suffers from.

The nine-year-old of Sandsdown Crescent, Sandiway, has Fanconi Anaemia, a rare, cancer predisposing genetic disorder affecting about 150 families in the UK.

Since diagnoses in April 2008 Amy has gone through a gruelling treatment process which has forced her into semi isolation leaving her unable to go to school, see her friends and at some points leave her hospital room.

Despite her isolation she contracted norovirus, which left her unable to keep her food and medication down and her low immune system meant she was unable to fight off the virus. At her worst Amy was on eight forms of medication a day, wheelchair bound and weighed just 18kg.

Her hero is now an anonymous Canadian who was an exact bone marrow match and twice went through the uncomfortable and painful process of donating his bone marrow to effectively save her life.

The first transplant failed but the second and successful one has given her a new lease of life, she is now lively, bubbly and desperate to get back to school.

Her parents have organised a fundraising ball next week to raise money for the Fanconi Hope charity which offers support to those families who have Fanconi anaemia.

Read more about the ball and Amy’s story on page 3.