Dave Kenyon is marking 10 years cancer free this September by tackling the challenge with a group of 20 others in aid of Anthony Nolan.
Dave was diagnosed with blood cancer and received a stem cell transplant using cells donated by a person in Belgium through the Anthony Nolan stem cell register.
He was treated at Manchester Royal Infirmary and says his recovery involved long stays in hospital followed by daily, weekly and monthly appointments.
He has since reached the point where he attends check-ups every six months.
Dave said: “When I was diagnosed with blood cancer, I felt completely numb. I had so many questions going through my head, but the reality is that many of those questions can never really be answered. It was an incredibly frightening and uncertain time.
“The team at Manchester Royal Infirmary were, and continue to be, truly amazing. Words really cannot describe how grateful I am to them for everything they did for me and my family.”
This September marks 10 years since his transplant.
Dave said: “Anthony Nolan gave me a second chance at life 10 years ago this September. Through the stem cell register, I was fortunate enough to receive a stem cell donation from a donor in Belgium.
“I will never be able to fully put into words what that means to me. Someone I have never met gave me the opportunity to live my life, and I will forever be grateful to that donor, Anthony Nolan, the amazing team at MRI, and my friends and family who have supported me throughout the journey.
“Ten years cancer free genuinely feels like a miracle.”
Dave will now join 20 other people to complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge and raise money for Anthony Nolan.
He hopes the fundraiser will also encourage more people to consider joining the stem cell register.
He said: “It is going to be tough, but that seems fitting — because this challenge is about much more than completing a walk. It is about raising awareness and hopefully encouraging more people to join the stem cell register.
“If just one person reads the story, joins the register and eventually goes on to save somebody’s life, then every step will have been worth it.”
His message to people considering joining the register is simple.
He said: “Please do it.
“You could potentially give someone the same second chance at life that I was given. I know that registering might seem like a small thing, but to someone waiting for a match, it could mean absolutely everything.
“I am living proof of the difference a stem cell donor can make. Ten years later, I am incredibly grateful to the person in Belgium who gave me that chance.”
Dave is fundraising for Anthony Nolan at https://www.justgiving.com/page/david-kenyon-6
