Little Amie Rose suffers from a rare blood disease - and as a result, has already undergone 60 blood transfusions at the age of just five. The youngster has Diamond Blackfan Anaemia and to treat the condition, she has to go into hospital every four weeks for a blood transfusion. The disorder, which means her body cannot produce red blood cells, is so rare it affects only around 125 people in the country. Amie Rose (pictured right receiving one of her regular blood transfusions in September 2013) has Diamond Blackfan Anaemia, which means her body cannot produce red blood cells . When she was born, Amie had a slight heart murmur, but doctors told her mother Jo, from Horley, Surrey, that it should go away in six weeks. Mrs Rose, 44, said: 'When I took Amie back for her check-up they said she looked a bit pale and they decided to take her in for a blood test. 'The results came back and the doctors said she had to have an emergency blood transfusion as there were not enough red blood cells in her body. 'We were then transferred to Great Ormond's Street hospital to have a bone marrow biopsy and told that Amie would have to have regular blood transfusions.' Amie (pictured with mother Jo and father Gordon) has to go into hospital every four weeks for a transfusion . Amie (pictured at seven weeks) was given an emergency transfusion after doctors decided to take a blood test during a check-up because she looked pale. She then had a bone marrow biopsy . But just a couple of days after being sent home, Amie stopped breathing and her parents took her back to hospital. Doctors were able to stabilise Amie's iron levels but she had to have an emergency operation to insert a port running from her jugular vein into her heart. 'Amie stopped breathing and we had to rush her back into hospital where they starved her and put back on a milk formula,' her mother added. 'We were so scared of what might happen to her but we just wanted Amie to survive.' Every week Amie has to get a nurse to attach a tube with a pump at the bottom to remove the excess iron from her blood. The pump stays attached to the port six days a week.. These pictures show the effects of steroid treatment to treat the rare blood disorder on Amie in October 2011 . Amie's father Gordon, 53, said: 'The port restricts Amie from doing any contact sport and we have to be careful when we pick her up as we could knock the needle in her port. 'The pump is essential for Amie as too much iron in the blood can be fatal and can cause major organ failures. 'Just before her fourth birthday, Amie's port blocked and we were rushed into hospital otherwise it could cause pressure on the jugular. 'Surgeons had to remove the port from her left hand side and insert it on the opposite side. 'We have to make sure that the port is always clean which can be difficult as Amie has a low immune system and she contracted tonsillitis seven times in less than a year. 'She now has a course on antibiotics every two weeks that helps her fight off any illnesses.' Amie's parents are hoping her body will start to regulate the iron in her body so that she only has to wear the pump at night time. Her parents are hopeful that Amie will become eligible for a bone marrow transplant soon, which would 'fix' her, meaning she would not need to continue with the current treatment method . Her father, a building services engineer, said they are hoping Amie will only have to have the pump attached at night time by the end of the year. 'After that we would be hoping that her iron levels stay at a reasonable rate and then she would be eligible for a bone marrow transplant. 'This procedure would 'fix' Amie and she wouldn't need to have all of this current treatment. 'It is an exciting but nerve racking experience - as there are so few people in the UK who has this illness doctors cannot predict what Amie's body will do. 'It would be nice for Amie to have the bone marrow transplant especially now she is getting older and she is starting to get remarks from other children at school.' He aaded: 'It is now all a waiting process to see how Amie's body will react in the next couple of years. 'You hear good stories and bad stories but we are just keeping our fingers crossed that Amie stays our brave, happy little girl.' Red blood cells (pictured) are vital because they circulate oxygen around the body . Diamond Blackfan Anaemia (DBA) is a rare blood disease where the bone marrow fails to produce red blood cells. Red blood cells are necessary for life because they circulate oxygen around the body. Patients are usually diagnosed before the age of two and require treatment to compensate for their lack of red cell production. DBA can cause fatigue, poor growth, lack of appetite and a pale complexion. In about a half of cases patients also suffer associated congenital abnormalities. Some affected children are short for their age and may have delayed puberty. DBA patients also have a slightly elevated risk of certain types of cancer. Many DBA patients are treated with blood transfusions, often monthly, to bring their red blood cell count up to an acceptable level. But frequent transfusions cause an accumulation of iron in the body. Because an overload of iron can cause damage to major organs if it is not properly managed, patients must take a 'chelation' drug to remove excess iron from their bodies. This can take the form of a nightly infusion of medication via a needle over a ten hour period and in other cases, an oral drug can be taken daily. Source: DBA UK .
Has Diamond Blackfan Anaemia so her body can't produce red blood cells . The condition is so rare it affects only around 125 people in the country . Amie has to go into hospital every four weeks for a blood transfusion . For six days out of the week, Amie is attached to a tube which removes excess iron from her blood .