3A MOTHER hoping to find a cure for her son's rare genetic disease by having another baby has been given hope - with the news she is pregnant.

Denise Kelly has been desperate for a baby for the past four years, since discovering her six-year-old son, Nathan Howarth, had a life-threatening blood disorder.

She hopes stem cells taken from the baby can be implanted into Nathan to cure him. Denise, who had a miscarriage last year, is expecting a baby girl in September. It will not be known if the little girl can help save Nathan until a month after she is born. That is the time taken to test stem cells taken from the umblical cord.

Miss Kelly, aged 34, of Great Lever, said: "There is a mixture of excitement and apprehension. I have taken the decision not to have her tested for the disorder and will only find out after she is born.

"If she has got the same as Nathan, it won't make any difference to me because I'm used to it. I'm worried more about her being healthy and normal than I am about her having the condition."

Nathan was diagnosed with Fanconi's Anaemia when he was 21-months old. It could kill him by the time he reaches early adulthood. He has been having steroid injections for two years to hold back the disease.

Miss Kelly had hoped to travel to America to create a "designer baby" to save Nathan's life. The procedure, criticised by pro-life groups, would involve picking out embryos from a selection created by IVF treatment and using stem cells from that embryo.

But, because Miss Kelly's pregnancy is natural, there is no guarantee that the baby will be a match.

Ironically, the laws in England and Wales are expected to be relaxed shortly because of inconsistencies. Some parents have been lawfully allowed the treatment and others have been told they can not. A doctor from the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital will be on call from the 34th week of Miss Kelly's pregnancy.