A 22-YEAR-OLD cancer survivor from Malmesbury has walked 120 miles to raise money for the charity which supported him through treatment.

Dan Booth, 22, and his friends from the University of Sheffield raised almost £7,000 for Young Lives vs Cancer by walking the Palladian Way - an architectural trail which runs through Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

Dan was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin lymphoma in November 2020, aged 21, before testing positive for Covid-19 two days later, delaying his treatment.

“Living with nine of the soundest housemates anyone in the world could ever ask for, immediately they were all okay with us as a house totally self-isolating for the entire six month duration of my treatment,” said Dan, who studied dentistry at university.

“They were all great as they were so supportive and decided to treat me as normal as possible.”

From getting food delivered to setting up a sanitisation station at their front door, the group did all they could to keep Dan as safe as possible.

On July 9, they set off on the fundraising trail after Dan was given the all clear following six months of chemotherapy.

“I was so lucky to feel ok during my chemotherapy and to be honest it was probably more stressful for my parents and younger brother, being so far away from me in Sheffield,” Dan said.

“They had to self-isolate for two weeks before they were allowed to come and be with me for my first treatment.

“Young Lives vs Cancer have a fantastic team of social workers at hospitals like the one in Sheffield. Harriet from the charity came with me to my initial appointment, helped me with any kind of admin I needed to do relating to my treatment, helped me financially, offered to sort out accommodation if needed, a wig or a hat, and was just a great person to chat to.

“I want other people in my situation to have the help I had.”

As of July 20, the group have raised £6,859.

Liz Blunt, fundraising engagement manager for south central at Young Lives vs Cancer, said: “This is such a lovely, joyous story about students being so amazingly supportive to their friend whilst he went through cancer treatment.

“I love the fact that they so kindly self-isolated with Dan for six months and this really is about a celebration of friendship.

“We can only provide the vital support that we do because of our supporters. The funds raised mean that people like Dan can have support from our social worker Harriet.”