Gorbachev Seeks Marrow Donor

Raisa Gorbachev's younger sister will travel to Germany to be tested as a possible bone marrow donor for the leukemia-stricken wife of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, officials said Friday.

Mrs. Gorbachev's sister, Lyudmila Titarenko, was expected to arrive Friday in Moscow from her hometown of Ufa and would travel to Germany on Saturday, according to the Gorbachev Fund, which is run by the former leader.

Mrs. Gorbachev is being treated at Germany's Muenster University Clinic where she has been hospitalized since July 25. Mr. Gorbachev has been staying in Muenster to be near his wife.

Following three weeks of chemotherapy, the hospital reported that Russia's 67 former first lady would receive a bone marrow transplant as part of her leukemia treatment.

Mrs. Gorbachev was still in serious condition and weakened from chemotherapy, but doctors said her condition had stabilized somewhat.

On Friday, her physician Dr. Thomas Buechner said Mrs. Gorbachev needed a rest and would not undergo a transplant immediately, but the ITAR-Tass news agency reported the operation could be carried out within days.

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