EX-ARMY medic Katrina Brown had her stem cells harvested this week, as treatment for her rare condition continued.

The military wife, whose husband Martin is based at South Cerney, is in hospital in Chicago after supporters, including Standard readers, raised £110,000 to fund tests and treatment for systemic sclerosis.

In an update this week she admitted she was suffering bone pain and when medics started harvesting her cells, which will be used later to reboot her system, she wrote on Facebook: "Had my line put in, not gonna lie it was pretty grim!"

But she remained upbeat and even posted footage of the procedure for interested followers.

Yesterday she added: "My nurse did a really good job of, as she says it scaring me" so that I behave for the next 24 hours lol. Skateboarding is off the plan for tomorrow, more of sitting on my butt watching TV. No complaints here.”

Almost £90,000 of the money needed for the treatment was raised in the space of just five months by people up and down the country. Without it Katrina, who was told she had been exposed to depleted uranium while she was posted to Iraq 10 years ago, faced an early death due to hardening of her organs.