British Woman and Husband Cycle 1,243 Miles in Tribute to Late Father for Noble Cause

In a heartfelt and somewhat bittersweet moment, a British couple celebrated the moment they completed their “epic” journey across borders. The duo set out on a challenge of cycling from Slovenia to Southampton, in a bid to raise awareness about stem cell donors and in memory of their late father.

They started their inspirational expedition last month in August and it took the duo a total of 31 days to complete. What started as tribute to their late father, who passed away after suffering from bone marrow cancer, quickly evolved into a widely followed journey that brought thousands together.

British couple cycles for a purpose

The couple’s journey commenced from their hometown in Maribor on 3 August, covered a total distance of 1,234 miles and passed through several countries. They travelled through Austria, Germany, France, used the ferry via Jersey to Poole, Dorset, before their final leg to Southampton, camping along the way.

Sporting t-shirts with a quote that their father told them during his ordeal with cancer, the duo cycled with the hopes of making a difference but most importantly, “being in the moment as much as possible“.

Alice Shepherd and her beloved husband Ziga eventually raised upwards of  £5,000 after riding 2,000km (1,243 miles) in 31 days. They ended their marathon at the Southampton General Hospital with their family in full attendance. This was the first time in 10 years they returned to the hospital, after the death of their father.

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The importance of awareness

What the British couple have managed to achieve in a short span is an encouraging sign. The lack of information, awareness amongst community members has long dampened the spirits of families who were in the need for stem cell donors in the past.

Their trip raised funds for the Southampton Hospitals Charity along with Anthony Nolan, a charity that motivates people to register as stem cell donors. The couple made sure to provide people with information on their fundraiser page and explained to people the benefits of registering.

The downsides of not having sufficient donors in the community have come to fore recently for the British community. The Anthony Nolan charity in the month of June, showed just how important it becomes to spread awareness. Emily Land, from Leeds is on course to restart her life after a life-saving transplant following a donor match last year.

Another success story of the Anthony Nolan charity was there for everyone to see after a three-month old toddler found 2248 new stem cells donors registered after an appeal was put out. Francis, is from Liverpool and currently admitted in the Alder Hey Hospital.

Football club Liverpool made sure to play its part and put out a message for donors on their social media and fans too played their part in a moment of great togetherness. The parents of the toddler put out an appeal that the club and its fans made sure to display and spread the message.

The donors list saw a 500% increase with more than half of the new donors being Liverpool.

The togetherness and community bonding is great to witness, especially in such situations. The British couple will hope that this positive sign of growth and rising awareness keeps increasing its scope.

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