JAC Seymour (pictured) is only nine, but he already knows how important blood donors are in saving lives.

The youngster depended on blood and platelet transfusions during the first months of a three-year battle against leukaemia and is full of praise for donors.

"I'd like to say thank you to all the people that gave blood, and please will other people give blood to help other children," he said.

His thoughts are shared by mum Anya, who says transfusions were vital to her son's early treatment. The family, from Woodland View, Croesyceiliog, supports the Welsh Blood Service's ongoing drive to maintain blood supplies.

"The transfusions were lifesavers because the leukaemia just ate up his red blood cells," said Mrs Seymour, a history teacher at Croesyceiliog Comprehensive School.

Husband Gareth also teaches history, at St Joseph's RC Comprehensive School in Newport.

"Within days of his diagnosis he needed a blood transfusion because his count was so low," she said.

Wednesday, August 3, is a big day in the Seymour household.

Jac will take the last of his medication, three years and three months after diagnosis.

"He'd been under the weather and looked ill. Glands in his neck were swollen and I hoped it was just a virus although leukaemia did cross my mind," said Mrs Seymour.

The family's doctor had suspicions too, and the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, confirmed her worst fears.

Paediatric cancer specialists at Llandough Hospital confirmed the disease type - acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Nine-week blocks of chemotherapy separated by eight-week sessions of non-chemotherapy treatment began, a regime that has continued since May 2002.

"It's been a very long time, but hopefully we will have seen the end of it. He was six-and-a-half years old when he was diagnosed and he'll be ten soon.

"His brother Harri, who's five, was 23 months old then. He's never really known anything other than Jac being in and out of hospital and me being away with him."

Jac, who like Harri goes to school in Llanyrafon, used to play football and hopes to play again.

He likes cricket, has gone horse riding during his illness, and is learning to play the violin and the piano.

"He tries to lead as normal a life as possible and he's done very well, but when he gets ill it's very quick because he has no immunity. He has to go to hospital very quickly because of that," said Mrs Seymour.