A local woman suffering from a rare form of leukaemia is making a special appeal to the black Bermudian community in hopes of finding a match through a donor drive scheduled for tomorrow.

Diane Dismont was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia three and a half years ago. The disease is a type of cancer affecting the bone marrow and blood.

The need to find a donor is now even more urgent, since Ms Dismont?s blood counts have become increasingly unstable.

?Several people turned out for the last donor drive, and I greatly appreciate all the friends, family and acquaintances who participated,? said Ms Dismont. ?Unfortunately, because of the difficulty in finding a match, we have not yet found a donor.?

Leukaemia, like many cancers, is treated with chemotherapy. Unfortunately, medications usually become ineffective after a period of time ? which seems to be happening in Ms Dismont?s case. The only known cure for the disease is a stem-cell transplant. However, a donor with an exact tissue-typing match must first be found.

The Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston is hosting the drive in conjunction with Bermuda?s King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Unlike previous drives, Dana Farber will now only sponsor testing for people of African descent. This is because so few people of African descent are registered in the national donor banks, and Ms Dismont is more likely to find a match among people with a similar racial background. A vial of blood is taken to determine if the person is a match. Potential donors should be under the age of 60 and in good health.

Results take about six weeks, and individuals who have been tested are only informed if they are discovered to be a match.

Ms Dismont first learned of her condition during a routine physical examination when it was discovered that her white blood cell counts were more than seven times normal levels.

The physicians at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, where Ms Dismont is being treated, have taken an interest in her case since they believe Bermuda?s unique genetic pool may potentially offer a better likelihood of a match.

The donor drive will begin at 9 a.m. tomorrow at the hospital. Anyone interested in making an appointment to be tested or who wants more information should call Rhonda Dismont-Seaton on 295-4721 during the day or 238-8011 evenings.