A FLINTSHIRE dad-of-two has given a stranger a second chance at life after making a stem cell donation.

Ashley Walker, from Connah’s Quay signed up to DKMS's stem cell register and after donating has given a total stranger, suffering with blood cancer, a great chance at recovery.

The 32-year-old dad-of-two has been described as "a pretty unassuming chap", but his recent donation has him labelled as a "hero".

After getting a call that he was a match, Ashley underwent a special procedure to prepare his body for the donation, before heading to a clinic in Sheffield to donate.

Strict regulations protecting the anonymity of donors and recipients immediately following a donation mean that Ashley currently knows almost nothing about the patient his stem cells went to – only that she lives in the United States.

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Golf-mad Ashley has already got some of his golfing companions to also send off for DKMS swab kits. Now, he’s joined forces with DKMS to encourage other people to join the register too.

He said: “If it was one of my kids who needed a stem cell transplant, I know I’d be running begging and screaming from door to door for someone to help. So, when I got an email telling me I might be a match for someone, the decision to donate was a no-brainer.”

“I can’t even remember how I first heard about DKMS and the need for people to register as potential stem cell donors – I think it was on social media, but it’s a really easy process – you just go onto their website and they’ll send you a mouth swab kit to complete and send back to them.”

“I didn’t really think I’d ever get called up to donate,  but then, out of the blue at the end of August, I got a call from DKMS to say I could be a potential stem cell match for someone with blood cancer.”

“It’s not much of your time to donate – a few hours in hospital, then some painkillers, but it could mean the rest of their life for the person you’re donating to – it’s huge to them!”

“It could mean the world to someone with blood cancer – and you never know, that might one day be someone you love!”