A former Farnham student who overcame cancer as a teenager has completed the London Marathon in aid of the charity that supported him during his treatment.
Former All Hallows Catholic School pupil Jenson Baxendale, 20, crossed the finish line yesterday in an impressive time of 3 hours and 27 minutes, despite challenging heat on the day. He ran the 26.1 miles in support of Starlight, a children's charity that provides entertainment and experiences for seriously ill young people.
When he was 14, Jenson was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma and underwent treatment at Southampton Hospital’s Piam Brown children’s cancer ward. During his time in hospital, he experienced first-hand the difference Starlight can make.
Jenson, of Aldershot, said: "As you can imagine, living in a children's cancer ward wasn't much fun – childhoods become stolen by isolation and medical procedures. The mental challenges of childhood illness are often overlooked, and can be just as tough as the physical challenges.
"However, it was during this time that I witnessed the amazing work of Starlight, who provide play and entertainment to children suffering from serious illnesses. Starlight achieve this on a range of scales, from hospital activities to weekend getaways – or simply providing support and comfort.”
He said that Starlight had helped him personally when he was invited on a group trip to the Monaco Grand Prix, where they were given VIP access to spend time with drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. As the oldest child on the trip, he had seen how happy the other children were, which was especially meaningful after months of living in and out of hospital.
As he was in the “privileged position of being healthy again” he ran the marathon for Starlight.
Jenson, who achieved A* grades at GCSE and A-levels with the support of All Hallows School, is now studying environmental geoscience at the University of Southampton.
His fundraising efforts build on the support he received from his schoolmates during his illness. In 2019, five friends – Joe Mockridge, Jake Martin, Ollie West, Josh Woods and Conor Le Brun – shaved their heads to raise money for the Piam Brown Unit, collecting more than £5,000 through donations.
Robert Antrobus, Head of Year 9 at the time, said he was "very proud of the boys and what they did to show their support for Jenson".
To donate to Jenson’s fundraising efforts, visit here.