Thousands respond to nurse's plea to help save her life

A nurse who has spent her career helping to save the lives of newborn babies now needs the public's support in her own fight for life.

Neonatal intensive care senior sister Paula Wallace has leukaemia and is in urgent need of a blood stem cell donor.

She launched an appeal to get people to register as potential donors, and more than 4,000 people have signed up, with most doing so in the past three days.

Donors register with the charity Delete Blood Cancer UK, which said it has seen a marked increase in registrations since the mother-of-two’s story went public.

Ms Wallace, who works at the Royal Gwent Hospital in her home town Newport, was diagnosed with leukaemia last year. She has been through three rounds of chemotherapy since January, but also needs a blood stem cell donation or she is unlikely to survive her condition.

Ms Wallace has no siblings who could provide a match, so she launched the appeal with the charity to find one. The campaign has gained attention via social media with retweets on Twitter from celebrities including singer Kerry Katona.

Ms Wallace said: ‘My only thought has ever been that I have to fight this all the way and win.’

Delete Blood Cancer UK head of communications Jenny Clegg, said: ‘Registering online as a potential blood stem cell donor only takes a few minutes but it could lead to you giving decades to someone else.’

You can register in five minutes online and request a cheek swab kit that will enable you to do your own tissue test.

To register click here.