THE bond between Katarzyna Howell and her baby brother, Zenek, will always be a special one.

At just four years old, Katarzyna donated bone marrow to her desperately-ill sibling and saved his life.

Parents Alun and Wanda, understandably, agonised over the decision to let the procedure go ahead, but there was no alternative.

What they did took a great deal of courage, and that courage is clearly something which runs in the family, especially in Katarzyna.

Her parents proudly report that she met the greatest challenge of her young life with great bravery.

Katarzyna has also achieved something else; she has raised the profile of bone marrow donation.

A growing number of us are blood donors and registered organ donors, but for some reason bone marrow donation doesn’t feature as strongly in media news stories or the public consciousness.

Whatever the reasons for this anomaly, the fact is that bone marrow donation plays every bit as vital a role in saving lives.

Sometimes, has happened in this case, a donor can be found in the family, but many donations come from strangers. The Anthony Nolan Trust - anthonynolan.org - has all the information a potential donor might need, and maintains a register of donors.

We also hope our story will help to raise the profile of another excellent cause, the Rainbow Trust - www.rainbowtrust.org.uk - whose local presence has been an incalculable comfort and help to the Howell family.