'I want to say thank you for saving my dad's life'

"The whole thing was really terrifying because your dad and your mum, they're all you know at that age and so the prospect of maybe losing them…it was really scary."

Jack Pitchford, a 20-year-old university student from Shifnal, Shropshire, was 13 when his father, Phil, was given 18 months to live after being diagnosed with a rare blood cancer.

Mr Pitchford is now preparing to walk the 220 miles (354km) of the UK's longest river in aid of Anthony Nolan, the charity which helped save his dad's life after matching him with a stem cell donor.

"I've wanted to show my gratitude for years," he said.

It was May 2017 when Phil Pitchford, then 44, started to feel unwell.

After several visits to his GP and eventually the hospital, the following September he was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, which causes scarring of the bone marrow.

"You don't really want to believe it and you don't feel like it's really happening," the younger Mr Pitchford remembered.

"Then obviously they give the prognosis and it hits you."

That Christmas, a suitable stem cell donor - a 21-year-old man from Sheffield - was found.

Mr Pitchford's father underwent the transplant the following March and was given the all clear in July.

On 22 June this year, Mr Pitchford and three close friends will set off from the source of the River Severn in Plynlimon, mid-Wales, passing through Powys, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, before reaching Bristol three weeks later.

He is hoping to raise £3,000 for Anthony Nolan, which maintains a register of blood cancer patients and potential stem cell donors.

The charity said it had helped support more than 22,000 transplants since its foundation in 1974.

Mr Pitchford said he hoped his trek would raise awareness of the register - particularly among younger male donors, who are under-represented on it.

"Dad's donor was 21 - that's a year older than me," he said.

"I find amazing that he did that and I could do that or any of my friends could do that - could save someone else's life like my Dad's."

So what will Mr Pitchford be reflecting on as he treks along the banks of the Severn?

"Just how lucky we all are to have Dad here with us," he replied.

"My dad could be anyone's dad - and anyone's mum or uncle or auntie - who needs to find a donor as well.

"Anthony Nolan do amazing work matching donors and saving lives.

"So just the prospect of saving more lives and helping more people's mum and dad stay with them."

Tom Horsfield, a community fundraising manager at Anthony Nolan, said he was impressed by Mr Pitchford's determination to raise funds for the charity.

"It's truly inspiring to see how open Jack has been to sharing his personal connection and desire to give back to Anthony Nolan," he said.

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