My Prudential RideLondon raises money for Alex’s Wish
Fourteen-year-old Alex Hallam, from Leicestershire, and a team of friends will ride a combined total of 30km on 15 wheels in My Prudential RideLondon to raise money for Alex’s Wish – a charity that aims to find a cure for the disease he lives with.
Alex suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a devastating muscle-wasting disease that affects one in every 3,500 boys. The average life expectancy for those living with the illness is the mid to late-twenties.
But sports-mad Alex will not let his condition stop him from joining five of his friends to raise money for Alex’s Wish by doing My Prudential RideLondon their own way.
Six members of the team, including Alex, will ride 5km each around Watermead Country Park, Leicestershire, on Wednesday 12 August. The sixth member of the team is Rich Copson, who has Beckers Muscular Dystrophy – a milder form of Duchenne – who has to shield until August 17 so will be doing his challenge at home.
In total the group will be doing it their (socially distanced) way on 15 wheels including Alex’s powered trike/wheelchair, a skateboard, bicycles and a static hand cycle, covering a total of 30km between them.
Alex Hallam says “I’m so pleased my friends are joining me in this challenge. We’ve already started planning how we’re going to raise money and are really looking forward to it. I’m so pleased we are raising money for Alex’s Wish as we need a cure for Duchenne as soon as possible that will help me and everyone else living with this condition.”
Emma Hallam, Founder of Alex’s Wish and mum to Alex says “I am so proud of Alex and his whole attitude to his condition – he never lets it stop him from doing anyway. Of course, he has to adapt and do things his way, but his positive nature and determination is inspirational. Alex has to attend lots of hospital appointments and he’s on a clinical trial – he never lets any of this get him down. We wish Alex and all of his friends the best of luck with this challenge and hope they raise lots of money to help conquer Duchenne. “
To learn more about their challenge and to donate, please visit their fundraising page: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=Alexandfriends30kmon15wheels&isTeam=true
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a disease that leads to progressive muscle loss. It affects every single muscle making it difficult to walk and impossible to ride a traditional bicycle.
Every single muscle is destroyed due to a lack of protein and it also affects the heart and lungs. There is no effective treatment or a cure for the disease at present.
My Prudential RideLondon is the first virtual edition of Prudential RideLondon, the world’s greatest festival of cycling. The 2020 event (scheduled for 15-16 August) had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 so organisers created My Prudential RideLondon as a way to help the UK’s charities who have been hit hard by the pandemic.
The event is free and participants can take on 100, 46 or 19 mile challenges (these are based on the actual ride distances at Prudential RideLondon) – or a distance of their own choice as Alex and his team have done.
Participants are encouraged to pick a ride and then select a charity to ride for to help raise crucial funds. The ride can be done from anywhere in the country – or indeed the world – and the My Prudential RideLondon app will enable riders to track their rides and get personalised certificates, photographs and a comparison.
For more information https://myridelondon.co.uk/partner-offers/
Alex’s Wish: All money raised by Alex and his team will go to an amazing charity Alex’s Wish – a registered charity based in the heart of the East Midlands – which is raising vital funds to conquer Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy for all. The money raised will be used to fund vital media research and clinical trials to bring about effective treatments and ultimately a cure for this devastating condition.
The charity was set up by Alex’s parents Emma and Andy Hallam.
For more information https://alexswish.co.uk/
