A BRAVE girl who received a life-saving transplant from a blood cancer charity thanked a kind-hearted Worcester company which has helped raise vital funds.

Esme Clayson, aged eight, of Evesham, who received a lifesaving transplant from Anthony Nolan, attended a special event to thank Tile Giant.

Colleagues at the Worcester branch of Tile Giant welcomed her this week to celebrate six months of support for the charity.

Esme was just three years old when she was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia, the only cure for which was a stem cell transplant from an anonymous donor.

Fortunately, Anthony Nolan found her a match in the form of 30-year-old German man Andreas Haber, and Esme is now a healthy and happy young girl.

On Monday, June 20, Esme and her mum Naomi paid a visit to Tile Giant in Worcester to thank them for their support in raising vital funds for Anthony Nolan, which will help more people with blood cancer have a second chance at life.

Customers and traders enjoyed tea and cake and Esme was presented with a bag of presents donated from local businesses, including teddy bears.

Naomi Clayson, an ambassador for Anthony Nolan, said:

"I was completely devastated when Esme was diagnosed and no one in our family was a match for her.

"Thanks to Anthony Nolan and the kindness of our donor Andreas, we still have a daughter and my son Jack has a sister.

"We’re so grateful to Tile Giant for raising money to support Anthony Nolan’s lifesaving work and giving other families a second chance at life together."

Tile Giant is six months into a two-year partnership with Anthony Nolan.

Colleagues at Tile Giant branches across the country have raised almost £30,000 so far, through a range of challenges including sponsored cycles, bake sales, and marathons. Colleagues at the Tile Giant store in Worcester are currently planning even more events, including a static cycle next month covering the same distance as the Tour de France.

It is hoped that Tile Giant’s staff and customers will raise £100,000 for Anthony Nolan during the partnership, money which will be used to recruit more potential donors to the charity’s register of stem cell donors.

This is vital, as currently only 60 per cent of patients are able to find the best possible match.

Steven Clark, store manager at Worcester, said: "It was such a pleasure to meet Esme and her mum and to see first-hand the difference that Anthony Nolan makes to the lives of people with blood cancer."

Anthony Nolan was the world’s first bone marrow register. The charity has been saving lives for four decades by matching remarkable people willing to donate their stem cells to patients in desperate need of a transplant.

The charity also carries out pioneering research aimed at improving stem cell transplant outcomes and supports patients through their transplant journeys.