Gordon, who spent 14 years with the RAF, lives with his wife and two-year-old daughter and is expecting a baby boy within the next few weeks.
“In Afghanistan I saw courage and leadership at their best; people stepping forward when others needed help,” he said.
“It was something I tried to do wherever I could.
“Now I find myself needing help from other people.
“A potential donor could be anyone, anywhere in the world. But I need them to join the donor register so they can be identified as a match.”
He added: “I really think that if you’re OK giving blood, you can donate your stem cells.
“People don’t know that they can do this, and they don’t know the impact that it could have.
“The actual sign-up process is so easy, and most people will never even be called up. But if you are a match, you could save the life of someone like me, and it is probably much easier than you think.”