THE family of inspirational Lochgelly youngster, Ava Stark have, written a thank you letter to her life-saving donor two years after undergoing a stem-cell transplant.

Mum Marie, of Sunnyside Place, has made contact with the anonymous person who donated their bone marrow to let them know that they will "always be grateful" for what they did.

The brave five-year-old, whose happy smile hid her serious illness, was diagnosed with inherited bone marrow failure in 2016 and, unless she had a transplant that would allow her immune system to fight off infection, was at higher risk of developing cancer or leukaemia.

An emotional appeal was launched in the Times by Marie in July of that year to encourage more people to take a simple swab test that could identify a possible donor and, after her story touched the hearts of people across the country, more than 80,000 people registered with the Anthony Nolan Trust.

After a potential match had previously pulled out, a matching donor was found and Ava successfully had her transplant on November 25.

With two years having now passed, the family been allowed to write an anonymous letter to the donor, via Anthony Nolan, to express their gratitude and Marie said: "It has been sent by recorded delivery and the amount of times I rewrote it has been unreal!

"You just can't put it into words. Thank-you does not equate to what I want to say. We always knew that we could contact the donor legally if they've ticked the box saying they would like contact from the person who received their donation after two years. If the donor never ticked the box, we'll never know.

"At the back of my head, I think that maybe they've ticked the box and, once they've read it, maybe they'll make contact. Ava thinks she's about to get a new friend who will come to her parties, but I'm not exactly sure it works like that!

"We want to make them aware regardless that Ava has a future and that we will always be grateful. You cannot put it into words.

"Thank-you isn't enough."

Ava, who started at Lumphinnans Primary School in August, was chosen to switch on Lochgelly's Christmas lights month and Marie added: "She absolutely loved that.

"I can't describe how crazy Christmas is; she loves it! We decorate the house for her transplant birthday in November; we're those crazy people in the street!

"She has the odd off day but generally she's fine. It doesn't seem like two years ago, when back then we didn't know what would happen."