TRAGIC Brierley Hill teenager Omar Al-Shaikh has been honoured with an award for boosting the chances of life for fellow leukaemia sufferers - five months after he died.

The Quinton schoolboy, who was 16 when he lost his fight for life, has been described by the Anthony Nolan bone marrow charity as "an inspirational, brave and humble young man who leaves behind a legacy which will continue to change the lives of others for many decades to come."

His mother, Mirabela Al-Shaikh, of Madison Avenue, was presented with a certificate of commendation by the charity in an emotional ceremony at the House of Commons.

Omar's only hope of life was to find a suitable person from his mixed heritage background with matching bone marrow to donate their stem cells for a transplant.

He and his mother, now aged 39, launched an appeal for more people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to donate their bone marrow in the hope it might save him, as well as others in the same plight.

It touched the hearts of hundreds of people, who signed up to register and eventually an umbilical cord match was believed to have been found.

But Omar, a pupil at Four Dwellings Academy in Quinton, was too unwell to undergo a transplant by that stage.

His dream came true when he married his 16-year-old childhood sweetheart, Amie Cresswell, in a service at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital in June - but three days later he died.

During Omar's bone marrow appeal between March 30 and April 13 there was a 250 per cent increase in the number of people in the Birmingham and Black Country area joining its register.

A total of 368 people in the area signed up and, nationally, the number of those registering from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds more than tripled.

Henny Braund, chief executive of Anthony Nolan, said: “Omar was a hugely deserving commended nominee at the Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards.

“He was an extremely brave and humble young man who inspired huge numbers of potential donors to join the Anthony Nolan register.

"It was truly remarkable how much time and energy he, and his mother, put into appealing for more people from ethnic minority backgrounds to join the Anthony Nolan register when they were going through such a difficult time.

"Omar left behind a truly lifesaving legacy which will continue to have a positive impact on the lives of others for many decades to come.”

Omar's mum, Mirabela, said: "I was very proud to receive the certificate for Omar, although it was extremely emotional for me.

"My son wanted to make a difference - and he did."