Lara's story:

"Two years ago, aged 24, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of blood cancer called acute myeloid leukaemia. My medical team said that a blood stem cell transplant was my best chance of survival.

"Only one in three people will be lucky enough to find a matching donor within their family but none of mine was a match for me. The doctors warned me the chances of me finding a matching donor from an unrelated person would be slim. At the time, just three per cent of registered donors were of mixed race heritage and my Chinese-Thai-Italian heritage made finding a match particularly difficult.

"It was a devastating blow. I was studying for my Masters in Global Migration and making plans for my future. My diagnosis changed everything in a heartbeat.

"However, my family were amazing. We decided that we would do everything we could to get more ethnically diverse people to register as potential blood stem cell donors through a social media campaign we launched called #Match4Lara. Not only was it my best chance of survival but it would help other people with black, asian, another minority or mixed ethnicity find matching blood stem cell donors too.

"We got in contact with DKMS and with their help launched #Match4Lara. Everyone worked so hard and, astonishingly, thousands of people, across the world, came forward to register. We estimated that in total 50,000 people globally signed up in response to the campaign. Ready to save a strangers life.

"Watching all these humans connect across the globe kept me positive. I thought this is what humanity is truly about. And against all the odds, a donor was found for me.

"One year on, although its been a rough ride, I am now well, and have started a new job.

"I know, first-hand, how vital it is that we get more people to register as potential blood stem cell donors. My medical team likened looking for my donor to searching for a needle in a haystack. But thanks to that wonderful person who registered, Ive got a second chance of life.

"Thank you for supporting the #LetsNailBloodCancer campaign to help DKMS register more potential donors. I wouldnt be here today without mine."