My Story

Hello, my name is Dylan and I entered the 2023 RideLondon-Essex 100 back in September of 2022 after being inspired by my friend, Alexander Pepe. In June of 2022, Alex was diagnosed with a very rare form of Non-Hodkin's Lymphoma known as Burkitt's Lymphoma. He proceeded to persevere through 9 months of intense treatments at St. Bart's with unwavering positivity and determination, inspiring everyone in his wake. Sadly, Alexander passed away on Friday 24th March 2023, smiling and lighting up the room with his infectious spirit until the very end.

You see, Alex was this amalgamation of brilliantly mad and stubbornly determined that most of us could only aspire to. He chose to sign up for this 100-mile cycle the second the registration opened in September while he was still in hospital undergoing chemotherapy because anything Alex set his mind to, he accomplished. More than that, he wanted to use this ride as a chance to support Children with Cancer UK, a charity that was very important to him. At a time when any normal person would be in the depths of self-pity from fear and uncertainty, Alexander was focused on others. He knew firsthand how terrifying cancer was as an adult and how much scarier and even more unfair it must be to deal with as a child. 

At Children with Cancer UK, they work with scientists and medical experts to develop ways to identify childhood cancers, find kinder treatments, and improve quality of life. They provide emotional and financial support, allowing families to focus on being there for their children and each other; and they create awareness to empower people with knowledge and ensure that childhood cancer is always on the agenda.

When Alex set his mind on doing this cycle, on advocating for others and choosing to persevere despite the diagnosis he'd been dealt, I was so incredibly moved and inspired. Despite not knowing six months ago how I'd ever manage to cycle 100 miles, I knew I had absolutely no excuse not to at least try and I was so excited at the prospect of getting to complete this ride with him. Now, I'd like to honour Alex's memory and help get him across the finish line by raising money for Children with Cancer UK and completing the 2023 RideLondon-Essex 100 in just under four weeks' time.  

All donations, no matter the amount, are greatly appreciated and will go toward making a huge difference to every family affected by cancer.

Thank you for your support!

If you would like to donate directly to the JustGiving page for Children with Cancer UK that was set up by Alexander's father, John Pepe, you can do so here:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/john-pepe