by Jess Banham

The life of this 11-year-old girl rests on whether her dad can find her enough blood donors.

Melanie Cottle, of Downs Road, Folkestone, was diagnosed with a rare disease of the immune and nervous system in December last year.

She is one of only five people in Britain to have developed Chedial Hegashie Syndrome, which doctors believe is hereditary.

After six months of chemotherapy, she now needs a bone marrow transplant and even though her first donor pulled out at the last minute, a second volunteer has been found.

The operation is set to go ahead with the German donor on June 29.

But to enable Melanie to have the life-saving operation, she will need blood infusions three times a day, three days a week straight after the operation, and until the transplant takes effect.

Her dad Paul estimates that will mean around 200 volunteers with a B+ blood type: "It's been an absolute nightmare: heartbreaking.

"She's not very well at all. It's life-threatening. It's been absolute torture.

"Other people just don't realise. You see lots of things on television but it's always happening to someone else. She's so, so poorly, it's unreal."

He said if Melanie didn't get the blood her chances of survival were zero.

He added: "The chances of her getting through the transplant are already very, very thin and to improve that chance they need blood from a live donor."

"she's not very well at all. it's life-threatening. it's been absolute torture” – melanie’s dad

The family cannot go to a blood bank as the donations must be fresh.

All donors would either have to travel to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London or they may be able to go to their local hospital and have the blood sent up straight away.

Paul added: "The response has been great, we've had over 2,000 hits on Facebook within a few hours but we need as many as we can get.

"The list is going to be diminished a lot as some people just won't be suitable. If they have a tattoo, they won't be suitable; if they've been abroad, they won't be suitable."