Mum Sharon McCloskey from Lagmore, Belfast has released a photograph that explains why stem cell donation is a life and death decision.
Sharon, 43, had to tell her three young sons she had blood cancer.
She and her husband Alan had been told that repeated doses of chemotherapy would not be enough to save her life.
And Sharon would need a stem cell transplant to give her the best chance of keeping the blood cancer at bay - but she was warned a search for a match would be global because of her rare tissue type.
However on August 2, Sharon, a chef at Stranmillis College , received a phone call to say a 90% match had been found after a mammoth campaign effort by friends and family in Ireland.
And today her photo shows Sharon and her husband, Alan and their sons, Joshua, 10, Matthew, seven and three-year-old Caleb, celebrating the next step on the family's road to recovery.
Sharon has now been to Dublin to start the process of receiving her donor's stem cells and will have a long wait to see how well they work for her.
Sharon said: "If you are still wondering if you should join the stem cell register then take a look at this photo.
"Someone like you has given me a future with my husband and our beautiful boys.
"Others are still waiting for their special stranger. You can sign up to be a lifesaver online and it only takes five minutes of your time."
If you are aged 16 to 30 you can apply to be a stem cell donor with Anthony Nolan by clicking here .
If you are aged over 30, you can apply to register with the DKMS charity as a stem cell donor by clicking here .
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