Sean Wills has had a close relationship with cancer.

He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2020, and thanks to the support of his doctors, healthcare professionals and others, he is clear of cancer and ready to give back by teeing off alongside his brother in the Longest Day Golf Challenge.

While going through treatment, Wills, who is involved in hockey and football, was lucky to be surrounded by a good support network, including volunteers from the Cancer Society who would come in during chemotherapy and have a yarn with him.

“For me, having gone through my own cancer journey in 2020, I've seen firsthand the work that the cancer society does for everyone going through treatment and I think it's important to support these guys as much as we can so they can continue doing what they do.”

His brother, Cameron, will be beside him for the 72 holes at the Whakatāne Golf Club on December 16, which is expected to take between 12 and 14 hours to complete.

While it’s not about what they shoot on the day, the brothers have been getting in some practice and hope to score under 400 across the four rounds.

“We've been trying to get out two or three times a week, which has been great. 'Training' has definitely been a great excuse to use.”

Sean is thankful to everyone who has offered to support them.

“Cameron and I are the ones officially taking part, but a few of the lads have offered to join us for a round or two, which will be good, just to add some variety to the day. We've also got a fantastic support crew lined up, with our girlfriends and parents keen to drive the carts around the course with our clubs, food, and cold drinks.

“We've also had some great support from a few big brands that have offered to get in behind us for the day, sending us a bunch of gears to use on the day. Lululemon has provided us with a polo each from their golf range, with other companies keen to sponsor balls and even some clubs.”

Neither of them has done anything like this before, and they are looking forward to the challenge.

“It’s completely foreign territory for both of us, but we've talked to a few people who have done this challenge in previous years and picked up some good tips.”

“We know it's going to be a tough day, walking the length of a marathon around Whakatāne Golf Club, especially if the sun is out in force, but really that's nothing compared to what people on their cancer journeys are going through. We just want to raise as much money as we possibly can for such a worthy cause.”

“We had an initial goal of raising $3,000, which we are on the way to achieving, but hopefully more people get involved and we are able to really smash that target.”

Sean said staying focused could be a challenge.

“I think the hardest part will be just keeping concentration for the whole day. We know that golf requires focus to make good shots, and we don't want to get to the end of the day hitting bump and runs along the ground, just to get us to the finish line.”

If anyone wants to donate they can head to https://longestday.org.nz/t/whk-bogey-bros or head along to the Whakatane Golf Club on the day and make a donation to the Bogey Bros or play a few holes with them.