'It's the best Christmas present ever': Girl, 8, with rare blood disorder finds life-saving bone marrow donor thanks to a This Morning appeal after her first match dropped out at the last minute

Evie Hodgson, eight, diagnosed with life-threatening disorder aplastic anaemia
Needed bone marrow transplant but cannot find donor after match pulled out
After plea on This Morning in October 25,000 extra people joined donor register
Evie says that finally receiving donor has been the 'best thing in the world' An eight-year-old girl with a life-threatening blood disease has finally found a vital bone marrow donor after her last match dropped out at the last minute.
Evie Hodgson, from Whitby, North Yorkshire, needs a transplant as part of her treatment for aplastic anaemia and earlier this year began to prepare for the operation, which included dental work and the removal of one of her ovaries.
But in August, Evie and her family were told the donor had pulled out, and appeared on This Morning to plea for another match to come forward to help treat the rare blood disorder, that was diagnosed during lockdown.Appearing on the show once again today with mother Tina, 37, Evie revealed that another donor has now been found, after an 25,000 extra people joined the register following their appearance on the show in October.
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Evie Hodgson (pictured) , eight, from Whitby, North Yorkshire, needs a transplant as part of her treatment for aplastic anaemia
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She appeared on This Morning today with mother Tina, 37, to reveal that after her last donor dropped out in August, she's finally found a match
'I've had the best Christmas present ever,' said Evie. 'I have a donor!
'It was just amazing, it was the best thing in the world. I started crying I was that happy.' After developing a pin prick rash on her back during lockdown, Evie's parents feared she may have meningitis and called the NHS 111 service, which advised them to take the schoolgirl to hospital.
Doctors initially thought she had sepsis and gave her antibiotics before rushing her to James Cook University Hospital.
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After developing a pin prick rash on her back during lockdown, Evie's parents feared she may have meningitis. Pictured Tina and Evie with dad Andy, 49, and five-year-old brother William
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In May the family were given the devastating diagnosis that Evie had a platelet condition known as ITP and she would need a bone marrow transplant
What is aplastic anaemia?
People with aplastic anaemia are unable to produce enough blood cells through their bone marrow and stem cells.
The rare condition, also known as bone marrow failure, can happen suddenly or over a period of time.
With aplastic anaemia, all types of blood cells are reduced.
A common symptom is bruising easily, even without the sufferer hurting themselves.
Children may also have a lack of energy and tire more easily.
They may also seem pale and become out of breath after exercise.
Only 30-40 children are diagnosed with the condition each year, but it can affect people of any age - most commonly children and people over 60.
Tests at the Middlesbrough hospital revealed she had low blood platelet levels, which then led medics to believe she had leukaemia - but a biopsy found no cancerous cells.
In May the family were given the devastating diagnosis that she had a platelet condition known as ITP and she would need a bone marrow transplant.
Neither Tina, dad Andy, 49, or five-year-old brother William, were a match and so an international search started to find a compatible donor.
To the family's delight a 10/10 match was found, with the anonymous donor agreeing to go ahead.
But after Evie's strenuous preparation for the operation in September, the match pulled out in August.
Evie started treatment for her condition but was picking up 'infection after infection', spending the majority of the last two months in hospital.
'She was really poorly,' said Tina. 'The consultant decided it wasn't fair for her to be going on like this, so she was put back on the register.'
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After a huge influx in donors following her first plea, Evie has now found a 9/10 match an is preparing to undergo the transplant once again
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Evie told hosts Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield (both pictured) that finally receiving donor has been the 'best thing in the world'
After a huge influx in donors following her first plea, Evie has now found a 9/10 match an is preparing to undergo the transplant once again, but Tina says the family won't stop campaigning for more donors to come forward.
'We still want to keep campaigning', she said, 'Because obviously we have been here before, we have had a donor before.
'It's really important we keep campaigning to get people on to the stem cell register, because there are so many children out there waiting for a match and other families as well who need their lives saving.'
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Tina and Evie remain hopeful the operation and treatment will be a success, and called the news of the donor the 'best Christmas present ever'
While Evie has found her donor, Tina says the hard work is 'yet to come' for the eight-year-old, who will have to undergo both chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Tina and Evie remain hopeful the operation and treatment will be a success, and called the news of the donor the 'best Christmas present ever'.
'We really really hope so, if anyone wants to follow Evie's journey through the treatment, the viewers can follow Evie's journey through Instagram Facebook and Twitter, it's Evie Needs a Hero and we're just so happy it's the best Christmas present ever.'