The family of a St Albans man suffering from a rare form of cancer have urged people to attend an upcoming swab day, as they face a race against time to find a life saving donor.

Ben Collins, aged 24, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia on Christmas Day last year and has since gone though five months of gruelling chemotherapy.

He urgently needs a stem cell donor for a life-saving transplant, and his family have urged people to attend the swab day at Old Verulamium's Rugby Club next Sunday (June 23).

Ben's mum Katrina said: "We are pleading with the public to come along to the Swab Day. It's not invasive or painful at all. The more people who attend, the more chance we have of finding a match for Ben.

"Only 7 per cent of the UK is on a register and 4 in 10 people do not find a match, but this is something almost everyone can do. There are a lot of people out there who need a donor, not just Ben."

Ben with his Mum KatrinaBen with his Mum Katrina (Image: Loudbird PR)

Anyone between 17 and 55 years of age could be a possible donor and the process takes just a few minutes, but could be the difference between life and death.

Ben with his dog BarneyBen with his dog Barney (Image: Loudbird PR)

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Ben had previously found a potential match in Germany, but it heartbreakingly fell through, heightening the sense of urgency.

Ben with his girlfriend EmmaBen with his girlfriend Emma (Image: Loudbird PR)

There has been an outpouring of support for Ben on social media, with Busted star Matt Willis (who lives in Hertfordshire) posting the appeal to his Instagram story earlier this week.

The swab day begins at 10am and will last until 4pm.

If you’re unable to make it on the day, you can still help by registering online to have a swab kit sent to your home at https://www.dkms.org.uk/get-involved/virtual-drives/swab-for-ben and