IN FOUR years, she has had two bone marrow transplants.

Now, Miss Lim Jia Li, 22, who suffers from leukaemia, needs a third one. That's because the cancer returned last year.

While two of her three sisters could donate their bone marrow to her on previous occasions, Miss Lim does not have a matching donor this time.

Her other sister's bone marrow does not match.

Miss Lim is currently seeking a matching bone marrow or cord blood donor.

And once again, she has to defer her studies at Republic Polytechnic while she undergoes treatment.

She suffered her latest relapse last August.

Jia Li, a second-year business computing student at Republic Poly, was first diagnosed with cancer in November 2006, a month before her 18th birthday.

She told The New Paper: "I was asleep at night when I suddenly had terrible chest pain. I shouted very loudly and woke my family up."

Her eldest sister, Miss Lim Chair Ling, 24, recalled: "Her nails had turned purple and she could not breathe."

She was rushed to hospital, where she was diagnosed with leukaemia.

She was then a second-year student at Republic and had to defer her studies.