A WOMAN'S drive to foot the bill for hundreds of willing bone marrow donors looks set to take her to the roof of the world.

Carol Worsley is preparing to trek to Everest base camp, and hopes to attract £3,000 sponsorship. This will help cover the costs of registering about 500 local residents on the Anthony Nolan Trust's list of donors.

Following a Citizen appeal, people queued up at special ANT clinics to see if they were a match for leukaemia sufferer Jennifer Wilson who is Carol's sister-in-law.

Jennifer has now had her transplant and is waiting to see whether it has been a success.

Over recent months Carol has been a tower of strength for her twin-brother Chris and Jennifer, of Derwent Road, Lancaster. She left her home in Scotland to look after their son Ted when Jennifer fell ill at Christmas, and has also helped out at the clinics.

"We have recruited about 500 people but it costs £70 to put each person on the register," she says. "The ANT's main concern is getting people on the register.

"But when they find a match they take the person down to their London clinic for initial testing, then pay their expenses and loss of earnings."

She adds that Jennifer, whose donor came from the ANT, is doing okay' after her transplant.

"It is still a case of waiting. One of the chemotherapy drugs gives you a really sore mouth and throat. Jennifer is still just about managing to eat but she may have to go back on a drip."

Chris and Jennifer are paying the £400 cost of the Everest trip next May to thank Carol for her support Carol's challenge is to complete the 10-day trek and raise £3,000.

"I am writing to local firms, supermarkets, drug and medical supply companies," she says. "I am not very good at organising bungee jumps and so on but I am trying to arrange dinner parties where friends pay towards it."

To sponsor Carol, cheques payable to the Anthony Nolan Trust, can be sent to Everest Trek, Lancaster Citizen, Unit 4, Victoria Court, Penny Street, Lancaster, LA1 1XN.

May 1, 2003 08:00