A HAMPSHIRE man and his sister, who saved him from a rare blood cancer, have run a "Marrowthon".

Billy and Eliza Densham completed a marathon beginning and ending at Winchester Cathedral to raise money for a charity that connects cancer sufferers with stem cell donors.

"It was great," said Billy, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2021, forcing him to undergo a stem cell transplant. "It was a really amazing day. We had 40 people involved and 16 runners."

He added: "It's a way of showing that I'm back up and running."

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The 42.2 kilometre event began and ended at Winchester Cathedral (Image: Sarah Densham)

Billy, who turned 24 on the day of the marathon, was diagnosed with the disease two years ago while he was at university.

His sister Eliza, 21, was a match, and the improved technology surrounding stem cell transplants meant the procedure took only four hours.

Billy explained: "My sister says it's really easy. It's just like giving blood. She just watched a few films on Netflix and then it was over.

"My recovery has been relatively quick," he added.

Stem cell transplantation, sometimes referred to as bone marrow transplant, is a procedure in which a patient receives healthy stem cells to replace damaged stem cells.

Finding a donor outside the family can be extremely difficult. Even with a sibling, there is only a 25 per cent chance they will be a match. 

Billy's mum, Sarah, from Bramdean Common, was out on the course as a helper. 

Speaking of Billy's journey, she said: "He's had quite a rocky road for the last two years to get to this stage."

During his illness, many of Billy's friends completed challenges to raise money and awareness for Anthony Nolan.

"While he was sick, he said, 'I'm going to do the challenges that they've done when I'm better'," explained Sarah.

The challenge was also attended by Winchester running coach, Clare Molyneux, who was Billy’s first headteacher at Ropley Primary School.

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So far, the event has raised over £14,000, with almost 250 people contributing.

Billy is passionate about raising awareness of the stem cell register and is encouraging all young people aged between 18 and 30 to order a simple cheek swab kit from the Anthony Nolan website and get on the register to potentially save a life.

For those interested in donating, Billy has a Just Giving page called Billy Densham’s Marrow-thon.  You can also follow him on Instagram @billy_updates_his_mates.