Billy to take on ultra marathon after losing his wife to cancer weeks after dream wedding
A Shropshire man who lost his young wife this year, just weeks after they had a dream wedding, is taking on an ultra marathon to raise money for the charity that supported them.
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Katelen Green, formerly Cheshire, was just 23 when she and Billy Green got married in November last year.
Katelen had been living with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer, since the age of 19.
Following a raft of treatments, including chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, Katelyn had twice gone into remission, but while planning her dream wedding to 29-year-old fiancé Billy Green this year, she discovered her cancer had returned for a third time.
Despite the daily trips to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for chemotherapy, she still wanted her dream wedding, and after finding her ideal venue, Stanford Farm in Halfway House, Shrewsbury, she was stunned when owner Cindy Edwards offered the pair their perfect day for free.
But just weeks after their big day, Katelen died in January this year.
Now her husband Billy is taking on an ultra marathon to raise money for Macmillan cancer, who supported Katelen through her illness.
Billy, age 30, said he took up running partly because of the grief but also to do something positive for Katelen.
He said: “It has been the most difficult year of my life.
“Helping me get through this incredibly difficult year has been finding my passion for running.
“This is why I am taking on the 100km ultra marathon 'Race to the stones' in memory of Katelen and to raise money, giving something back to an incredible charity who supported us throughout Katelen's treatment.”
The event next year will see Billy take on the UK's biggest ultramarathon, traversing Britain's oldest footpath towards the 5000-year-old Avebury Standing Stones.
He launched a crowdfunder to help him raise money, a year on from his and Katelen's dream wedding.
He said: I felt it was the perfect opportunity to keep Katelen's memory alive and for all to think of her on a very memorable date for myself.
“Katelen's inspiring story helps me stay focused and there is nothing I would love more than to put my passion for running towards an event that will hopefully raise money for this incredible charity.”
Billy's fundraising page can be found at: justgiving.com/fundraising/br-UAJXWAW3CNCN-2025-race-to-the-stones
