BY giving one day of her life to donate bone marrow, Laura Oakley was able to give someone a second chance at their life.

The 27-year-old from Bournemouth, who donated bone marrow in June 2012, is now thrilled to hear she is a match for someone.

Laura says: “I was so excited when I got a call from Anthony Nolan to say that I was a match for someone; it was overwhelming and just an amazing feeling.

“The donation procedure was no problem at all – it couldn’t be easier. It’s amazing how just one day out of my life saved someone’s life.”

Blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan uses its register to match potential bone marrow donors to blood cancer patients in desperate need of a bone marrow (or stem cell) transplant.

Now Laura is keen to encourage more people to sign up as donors “I received a letter from my recipient saying that they were doing really well and suddenly what I had done really hit me. When I opened the letter, I just burst into tears, it was really emotional.”

Laura’s experience inspired her to join the university volunteering group Surrey Marrow. In the last year, Surrey Marrow has recruited over 140 students to the Anthony Nolan register.

Laura adds: “To anyone that’s thinking about joining the register, I just tell them to do it – donating is one of the most incredible things that I’ve done. I can’t imagine any other situation where you could say that!”

Ann O’Leary, head of register development at Anthony Nolan, says: “Laura has done an incredibly selfless thing in donating her bone marrow to a complete stranger. The fact that Laura has been inspired to volunteer and recruit more people to the bone marrow register is just incredible. We’re urging all young people to think like Laura and join the bone marrow register – one day you could save someone’s life.”