Support floods in for brave Lauren, eight

The youngster is preparing to undergo the second bone marrow transplant of her short life.

The procedure will take place at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London next month.

Lauren, of Broadway, Ketley, was diagnosed with a rare immune disorder known as Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency 1 (LAD type 1) when she was two weeks old after falling ill a week after she was born.

The illness means the youngster's body cannot fight bacterial infections like most people which makes her very vulnerable to every day life.

The Shropshire Star covered her journey seven years ago. She had her first transplant when she was only eight months old after being in and out of hospital on intravenous antibiotics.

Unfortunately, despite a popular campaign Lauren's family was unable to find a full match for her and the transplant only provided her with very low donor cells, leaving her with partial LAD.

Lauren's mother Angela and father Lee said since her transplant his daughter has kept well up until June 2010 where she started running into problems and again had to visit the hospital several times with infections requiring antibiotics.

• Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency type 1 is a disorder that causes the immune system to malfunction, resulting in a form of immunodeficiency conditions.

• The immune system is not able to protect the body effectively from foreign invaders include viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

• Estimated to occur in one per million people worldwide.

• At least 300 cases of this condition have been reported in the scientific literature.[/breakout]

In July this year, Lauren developed a serious fungal infection in her airways, which resulted in her being rushed into theatre in GOSH to have a tracheostomy fitted, to allow her to breath while she received treatment for the infection.

Mr Edwards said Lauren's situation had got to a stage where the risks of waiting for the second transplant were too high to take.

He said: "She has always been on that waiting list because we always knew at some stage she would need to have a second transplant. It is finding the balance with going in for the transplant with how well she has been doing but now the risk of not doing it is greater than doing it. The problems are not going to get any better so the time has now come that a transplant is the right option on balance."

Her family has fought to raise awareness of the issue, which has included launching a Facebook page "Bone Marrow recruitment for Lauren Edwards", which has amassed a strong following and encouraged people sign on to the bone marrow register.

Mr Edwards' mother Pauline is due to take part in a sponsored head shave this evening to raise money to send Lauren to Disneyland next Christmas and to raise awareness of the illness.

A friend of the family has written a song about Lauren and her story, called The Sun is Going to Shine on You and recorded it. It will be released and money raised will go towards the Anthony Nolan Trust, The Sick Children's Trust and the Princess Royal Hospital's children's oncology unit.

Mr Edwards said: "We have been overwhelmed with the support we have had. There are a few friends and family who have done fundraising and awareness activities.

"People have wanted to help, people have been asking us 'how can we help you?'."

He added: "It is all about raising awareness and getting people on the register."

The transplant is due to take place in middle to late November and Lauren is set to spend up to three months at GOSH recovering from the operation.

The father added: "All being well it is about recovering next year and towards the summer coming home and slowly recovering and then hopefully some time next summer we will get a feeling that everything is a success but it is a long drawn out process."

To follow Lauren's progress, visit facebook.com/bonemarrowmatchforlauren