A woman who had to stop giving blood when she was diagnosed with breast cancer hopes she has inspired hundreds of people to donate in her place.
Kady Chatman, from Corsham, has been giving blood since the age of 17, and has donated 29 times.
But she has been forced to give up after being diagnosed with breast cancer in March.
Determined that the system should not lose out, she sent an email to 40 friends persuading them to donate.
Each friend has passed it on, leading to potentially hundreds of people giving a pint of blood after being inspired by Kady's story.
The 32-year-old said: "Not being able to give blood ever again has upset me more than having cancer has.
"I can deal with what cancer throws at me, but not being able to do something that I am so passionate about is horrible.
"I thought that if I could inspire one person to donate regularly they would replace me, and so the blood donation register would not be losing a regular donor."
After being diagnosed with cancer Kady, who has two children Toby, three, and Isla, four, was inundated with calls and emails from friends across the country asking what they could do to help.
Kady, who has friends across the country after serving in the army, said: "Friends were asking what they could do to help, but they lived too far away to do things like help with the school run or cook a meal.
"So I emailed them all asking them to donate blood, and many have gone out and done that.
"A few said they were scared of needles but I said that I have to have lots of injections, and if I can do it they can."
She added: "I am just overwhelmed by the support I have had.
"It is so important to give blood, and I think it is wonderful that so many more people have done that because of my email."
Kady went to her doctor's in March after finding a lump in her breast, and was sent to the Royal United Hospital where she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
She is currently going through chemotherapy, and faces a year of treatment, which will end in her having a mastectomy.
Kady said she was shocked to discover she had breast cancer because of her age, but said: "I am determined not to let the cancer get me down, or interfere with me doing the things I want to do."
Kady has also inspired people to support the Bath Cancer Unit Support Group, by donating money to its PET-CT scanner appeal instead of giving her birthday presents.
Anyone wanting to donate blood for the first time should be aged between 17-65, weigh at least 50 kg (7 stone 12lbs) and be in general good health.
If you have donated before, you can start again up to your 70th birthday and there is no upper age limit for donors who have donated in the past two years.
To book an appointment call the Donor Line on 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.blood.co.uk.
