A brave teenage leukaemia patient today met the man who saved her life for the first time, after he flew from Germany to Britain to see her progress.

Sarah Campbell, 15, from Bexhill, East Sussex, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia when she was seven but went into remission for almost five years following courses of chemotherapy.

But her life was turned upside down again when she was 12, when doctors told her the disease had returned in a different form and she would need a bone marrow transplant.

The Anthony Nolan Trust found her a donor within a month, from 23-year-old mechanical engineering student Sebastian Teichmann, from Osnabruck.

Today, as her family prepared to hold a three-year post-transplant party, Sebastian and his girlfriend flew into Stansted Airport to be greeted by Sarah.

Sarah, a pupil at Claverham Community College in Battle, said: "When they told me I had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia I was absolutely gutted. It's worse the second time for some reason. We were all devastated.

"The doctors told us immediately that I'd need a bone marrow transplant. I was really very lucky. The Anthony Nolan Trust found a donor within a month.

"I was so relieved. You're just waiting and not knowing. Any bits of information keep you going, so being told there was a donor was fantastic."

Sebastian said: "I joined the bone marrow register when I was about 19. My friends and I all joined. It just seemed the right thing to do.

"I was very surprised when I was contacted just six months later asking if I was still prepared to donate. You never really think it's going to happen.

"I feel quite special. What a privilege to be asked to save someone's life."

Sarah said she felt she had been given a "second chance" at life and appealed on behalf of the thousands of patients who have not been so fortunate for more donors to come forward.

Policies at the Anthony Nolan Trust dictate that it may only be possible to arrange contact between patient and donor after two years have elapsed and only at the instigation of the patient.

A year after her successful transplant, Sarah wrote to Sebastian anonymously to thank him and then each of them disclosed their identities after two years.

"I can't tell you how brilliant it felt when the two-year anonymity period was over. Actually knowing the name of the man who saved my life and where he lived was amazing," said Sarah.

During his five day stay in the UK, Sebastian will be staying at the Campbells' home as well as joining them on a trip around London.

Sarah's mother, Jane Campbell, 43, said: "To be a bone marrow donor is such a lovely thing to do and it's something none us will ever forget.

"Sebastian donated along with some of his friends and with so many young people going off to college and university, it would be lovely if more people would consider doing the same.

"It really could make a difference to someone's life."

The trust said it urgently needed to recruit more bone marrow donors aged 18 to 40, and raise more funds for the 16,000 people worldwide looking for a donor.

For more information about the Anthony Nolan Trust, visit www.anthonynolan.org.uk or call 0207 284 1234.