THERESA May has recorded a personal message to urge potential lifesavers to come forward after hearing about a young girl with aggressive brain cancer.

The Prime Minster appealed for people to register as willing blood stem cell donors when she learned about Layla Mistry's story.

The four-year-old from Sonning was diagnosed with medulloblastoma in 2016 and has been fighting for her life after suffering from two bone marrow failures.

As well as receiving intensive brain surgery, Layla has had more than 40 blood and platelet transfusions and six rounds of chemotherapy.

Her mother, Nimita, said: “At first we thought it was an ear infection, as she was getting sick and losing balance. Never in our wildest dreams did we think it was cancer.

"As parents it is heartbreaking to witness your child go through something like this.

“On the outside, Layla is just like any other four-year-old girl. However, in the last two years Layla has gone through more than any child should and has been in and out of hospital.

"Despite this she always had a smile on her face and shows incredible strength and bravery.

“As a family we feel it is really important to raise awareness about the importance of blood stem cell donation. Layla may need to rely on a stranger to save her life in the near future.”

There is currently a shortage of donors and particularly those from a black, Asian and mixed-race background.

Layla's family is keen to raise awareness of the importance of blood stem cell donations and they have been offered support from DKMS, a blood cancer charity.

In her appeal for donors, Theresa May added: “Stem cell therapy is an incredible treatment helping tens of thousands of people around the world who are affected by terrible diseases such as brain cancer and leukaemia.

“As things stand, not enough people from our ethnic minority communities are on the register.

"It means a child who, like Layla, comes from an Asian background has just a one in 5 chance of being matched with the donor who could cure her condition."