A GORNAL family have been left elated by the news that a stem cell donor match has been found for their little girl.

The hunt was on to find a desperately needed stem cell match for little Phoebe Ashfield, who was diagnosed with leukaemia aged just seven months old.

After months of waiting, gruelling therapy and numerous donor drives, the family received the news that a match has been found for 19-month old Phoebe.

Her parents, Emma Wyke and Jordan Ashfield couldn’t believe the news, with Phoebe’s treatment sent to start straight away.

Emma told the News: “We got a phone call from Birmingham Children’s Hospital to say they had a found a match. It was such a relief, we never expected to find one so quickly.

“She is starting the chemotherapy this week and then she is having the transplant next Tuesday. This is really happening.”

The stem cell match came from the umbilical cord of a female baby born in the UK, Emma said.

She said the match showed how important it is for women to donate their babies’ umbilical cords at birth as they could potentially be a life-saving donor match.

Phoebe’s story has touched the community, with donor drives taking place around the Black Country in a bid to help the youngster.

Her story was picked up by Michelle Osell and Karen Westwood, better known as comedy duo Musings of Black Country Wench, who were touched by Phoebe's plight.

The pair organised donor drive events at Halesowen’s Cornbow Shopping Centre and Brierley Hill Market last month to get as many people signed up as donors as possible.

Michelle said: “Fingers crossed for the little mite, everybody is rooting for her.”

She met with Phoebe and her family last weekend where they presented her with money raised from a Go Fund Me appeal, which will be used to help Phoebe after her transplant.

News of the match comes just over a month after Phoebe’s parents received the devastating news that gruelling Car-T therapy had not worked.

The youngster received the treatment, which involves using the patients’ own immune cells to treat their condition, as part of a trial at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital.

News that it had not worked made Phoebe’s need for a transplant even more urgent.

With Phoebe's transplant just days away, Emma added: “Don’t give up hope, there’s always someone out there who will help you. You just have to keep going.”