A GRANDMOTHER from the North-East is preparing to embark on a fundraising cycle ride to help further understanding of her grandson's rare medical disorder.

June Kynoch's four-year-old grandson, Charlie Whitaker, suffers from diamond blackfan anaemia, which leaves him needing regular, painful blood transfusions to stay alive.

His best hope of a cure is a stem cell transplant from a baby brother or sister with a perfect tissue match.

June's daughter, Michelle Whitaker, is now several months pregnant with a "designer baby" that is hoped will provide the match, after she travelled to an American clinic for specialist fertility treatment.

There is a one in 50 million chance that Mrs Whitaker, who lives in Oxfordshire, will have another baby with diamond blackfan anaemia.

But when the baby is born, it will be another three months before test results show whether a transplant will be possible.

Meanwhile, Mrs Kynoch, of Chester-le-Street, County Durham, hopes to raise money to pay for a researcher to look into the condition.

About £50,000 is needed to fund full-time research into the genetic disorder

On May 9, she and husband Dave, 53, and about 35 other cyclists will set off for Whitehaven in Cumbria, for the start of a coast-to-coast cycle ride. They are aiming to cover 50 miles a day.

Mrs Kynoch still needs a support van to transport their bikes to Cumbria. Anyone who can help or wants to provide sponsorship can contact her on 07790 808720.