A POSTMAN from Botley who had his life saved by a bone marrow transplant has shaved his head to thank the charity that helped him.

Crispin Wilson, 52, was diagnosed with leukaemia in December 2011 after doctors discovered he had a low count of neutrophil white blood cells in his immune system, making him more vulnerable to illness.

After undergoing chemotherapy to reduce symptoms, Mr Wilson was placed on the bone marrow database as his family could not provide a match.

But two years ago he was contacted by blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan which found him an anonymous match – a woman from Germany.

Mr Wilson underwent the bone marrow transplant at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford in May 2013 and is now is remission.

To raise money for the charity, Mr Wilson decided to have his head shaved and to give the hair to Little Princess Trust, which produces wigs for children with cancer.

Mr Wilson said: “I had a series of very minor illnesses as my immune system broke down, and had to take leave from my job while I had the therapy.

“I am very grateful that someone so far away was able to undergo the procedure, and that is why it’s important to raise awareness of the charity and what it does.

“My son Stanley, eight, in particular, has been through the mill, not knowing if I would get better or not, and now losing my hair suddenly as well.”

The head shave took place at Louis Memorial Fields in Botley on Sunday, and just over £2,000 has been raised for Anthony Nolan so far.

Mr Wilson, who has now returned to work at Botley Post Office, said it was important for more people to sign on to the bone marrow database to help cancer sufferers.

He said: “The transplant was not an intrusive procedure but is an invaluable procedure.

“The staff at the Churchill were fantastic, and it was so reassuring to know that we have a brilliant local centre of excellence with such amazing facilities.”

About 1,800 people in the UK need a bone marrow or stem cell transplant every year, according to Anthony Nolan.

Sixty-three per cent of patients will not find a suitable donor from within their families, so turn to the charity to find an unrelated donor.

Mary Campbell, head of events at Anthony Nolan, said: “We are delighted that Crispin has raised this fantastic amount of money for us this year.

“The funds raised will enable us to recruit potential bone marrow donors to the Anthony Nolan register, and any one of them could be a lifesaving match for someone with blood cancer.”

* To donate money to Mr Wilson’s JustGiving page, visit justgiving.com/Crispin-Wilson