Forced to take blood cell-destroying chemotherapy tablets every day, a three-year-old diagnosed with leukaemia has joined a campaign calling for ethnic minorities to give blood.

Nevaeh Green, of Bates Crescent, Waddon, is facing at least a further five years of weekly blood tests after she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in January 2010 and requires frequent transfusions of blood containing the rare Antibody M.

Mother Charmaine Green, 35, said: “The chemo attacks the cancer cells, but also the good cells and her count is different every week. Because she needs this particular antibody it makes it difficult.”

Nevaeh is supported by Croydon-based charity African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT) which is calling on people of black and Asian backgrounds to come forward and give blood, with only 0.4 per cent of those who donate coming from these ethnic groups.

Miss Green said: “The way I see it people of an ethnic minority, unless it was against their religion, would take blood if they needed it, were in an accident, or even after pregnancy. If they expect it they should give it.”

The drive, Daniel DeGale Blood Donation Week, coincides with the third year anniversary of the death of Daniel, who also suffered a blood disease Haemolytic Anaemia is from October 3 to October 8.

Mother of Daniel, Beverley DeGale OBE, co-founder of the ACLT says: “My son Daniel is the reason why the ACLT is here today. We want the community to come together to celebrate his legacy and to donate one unit of blood on mass.

“With just one unit of blood having the ability to save three lives, we’re asking all members of the ethnic minority community to do something small in order to achieve something really big by becoming a life saver.”

The ACLT and National Blood Service will host a drive at Parish Church Hall, Church Street, Croydon, on Thursday October 6 between 2pm to 8pm.