“I knew of FORCE and the work they did but I never thought I would be the other side of it”

It’s been a tough couple of years for young dad Guy Richardson.

In late 2024 he was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, a rare and highly aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that affects white blood cells.

He went through an intense regime of chemotherapy and has been in remission for just over a year.

He’s now set himself a significant personal challenge this summer.

Guy has entered FORCE Cancer Charity’s Nello cycle ride and will line up alongside around 1,000 others at the Topsham Rugby Club start on Sunday June 28, ready to tackle 60 or 100 miles around glorious Devon countryside.

Recovery

He’s ridden the event twice before but admits: “The road to recovery has been long and I have tried many times to start picking up my fitness but the fatigue was the hardest to overcome.

“I started cycling again at the start of this year and wanted to join The Nello as something to train towards.

“What distance I do is yet to be decided! But I am aiming for the 100-mile route as it’s such a beautiful ride and would feel like a real achievement.

“I am 39 and have two wonderful young boys and a very supportive wife. I’d never given cancer much thought. Being the age I am and having such a busy life, the diagnosis was a total shock.

“Because of the aggressive nature of the lymphoma, everything happened very quickly and at first I just didn’t want to talk about it but as the treatment went on I began to reach out to both ELF (Exeter Leukaemia Fund) and FORCE.

Intense

“My treatment was so intense that I didn’t have the time or the energy to get the support I wanted but FORCE were very accommodating in moving around dates and times to make me feel supported as much as possible.”

Guy was able to access counselling, group support, complementary therapies and specialist physio advice from FORCE, which receives no Government or NHS funding and relies on events like The Nello to maintain all the free services it provides to local people affected by cancer.

It helped him find a new normal and not to feel alone during his cancer journey.

He explains: “I was referred to some gym sessions after my treatment to get me moving again, which were great, and I found the support groups extremely helpful, especially with managing my anxiety which I struggled so much with.

“Having a young family, the impact of the diagnosis was bigger than I expected. I was very lucky in that my work managed to support me financially, but my wife really had to work hard to keep things together.

“FORCE offered counselling, which makes a huge difference and provided me with lots of tips and ways of managing life with the children through the treatment and recovery.

Grateful

“Having ridden The Nello in the past as well as the FORCE Autumn Series rides, I knew of FORCE and the work they did but I never thought I would be the other side of it all.

“I was extremely grateful for the support they provide. The NHS did an incredible job throughout my treatment with the medical side of it all and FORCE where there for the personal and mental support, which I needed more than I thought.”

The Nello is FORCE’s single biggest annual fundraising event and since 2000 it has contributed around £1.5 million towards the charity’s mission to support anyone locally affected by cancer, free of charge and as close to where they live as possible.

Its main centre is in Exeter and it also offers support at community hospitals and health centres in Tiverton, Okehampton, Ottery St Mary and Cullompton.

“We’ve been here since 1987 and, thanks to amazing support from people in the communities we serve, we feel confident that we can continue the life-changing work that means so much to so many across Devon,” said FORCE’s Chloe Richardson, who organises The Nello.

“We believe that anyone diagnosed with cancer deserves the best possible treatment and professional support close to home and free of charge. What we provide – physical, emotional and practical support and advice at what can be the most difficult time in a person’s life – is not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” she added.