TINY Mark Oliver was just five years old when he was diagnosed with bone marrow failure and leukaemia.

At that tender age, he had already conquered liver failure. But with the onset of yet another traumatic disease, Mark’s loving parents, Carole and Peter Oliver, didn’t believe their son would make it.

But through it all, the dream of meeting television star Dale Winton kept Mark fighting for survival. Now, four years on, Mark, of Toronto Road, Gillingham, is making excellent progress after receiving the gift of life with a bone marrow transplant.

His remarkable recovery has also been spurred on following a chance meeting with his Supermarket Sweep idol.

Speaking for the first time after the battle, his father Peter said he lives each day thanking the man who saved his son’s life.

He said: “He has been doing so well since the operation about three years ago and just recently he had some more tests done and all the results came back clear which means he is ok. I would like to shake the man’s hand because he saved Mark’s life and I would like to meet him because we just can’t thank him enough.”

Sadly the family was beset by another tragedy. Mark’s devoted mother Carole died two years ago before she saw her son make a full recovery.

Mr Oliver, 51, recalled: “I think everything got the better of her and she spent day and night in the hospital with Mark. “It just ecame too much in the end.”

Mark, who has the mental ability and physical build of a seven-year-old, spent years having treatment at the old All Saints’ Hospital in Chatham and King’s College and Great Ormond Street hospitals in London. Finally a suitable donor was found and the operation was carried out at King’s College.

Just before the operation, Mark met Dale Winton at King’s College with the help of the Starlight Foundation charity that plays fairy godmother to sick children.

Mark, who goes to Danecourt special needs school in Hotel Road, Gillingham, said: "He was nice. I just like him and I like all his programmes on telly.”

The family is now looking to the future and Mr Oliver, who has remarried, is hoping for good things from now on. His new wife, Sharon, 33, said: “Even though Mark is on the mend, we still have to be here for him 24 hours a day, but now things are definitely on the up.”