Retford teenager cycling to Amsterdam in memory of friend who died from cancer

A teenager is cycling 335 miles to the Netherlands to raise money in memory of his best friend who died from cancer.

Layton Cawthorn, 14, is taking on the London to Amsterdam challenge for Sheffield Children's Hospital, where his friend Daisy Bull was cared for.

Daisy was told she had a tumour in her right kidney in 2021. She recovered from cancer three times but passed away with her patents by her side on 21 December last year.

Layton, from Retford, signed up for the charity cycle ride before his friend's death but has decided to carry on and do the bike ride for The Children's Hospital Charity in her honour.

Layton said: "I just keep thinking [of] all the tough moments she had.

"I've got to get through with her. I'm always by her side and I always will be. I said that to her when she was still here. I'll always be there for her."

Layton said he asked Daisy's family if they still wanted him to take on the challenge and is pleased to have their support.

"I'm excited because Daisy's family is super proud of me from day one when I started the running to now when she's passed away," he said.

Layton is the youngest cyclist take on the challenge and has been busy training in preparation before it starts in June.

"I've been doing training when I get home from school straight on the bike for a couple of hours with my mum.

"On weekends we do big ones like forty or fifty [miles]. A couple of weeks ago we did a 78 miler," he added.

The fundraiser is not the first Layton has taken on in Daisy's name.

He began when Daisy was first diagnosed, running two kilometres every day for 109 days which was the length of her initial chemotherapy treatment.

He raised over £7,400 for Daisy and the Haematology and Oncology ward at Sheffield Children’s.

During Daisy's treatment Layton asked what helped Daisy what helped her after chemotherapy and was told "ice pops help her throat."

He then asked his family to write to Alfresco, the company who supply Mr Freeze ice pops, and they agreed to provide these for the children and young people on the ward.

He said: "I got my mum to write to Mr Freeze ice pops. They got me a three year contract for all the wards all the children's wards and I had loads of ice pops just to help other children like Daisy."

Cheryl Davidson from the Children's Hospital Charity said all the money that Layton fundraises will go towards the haematology and oncology ward at the hospital.

"There's not enough words really he's such an impressive and brave young man," she said.

"For the tender 14, everything that he's doing for children at the hospital and for Daisy's legacy is fantastic.

"he's doing it for her legacy and he's such a fantastic young man."

Ms Davidson said The Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity supports the NHS Trust for anything that's above that the NHS provide.

She said: "The fundraising that Layton does goes towards new equipment, new facilities, making the hospital more comfortable. also research as well. so it is a real massive life-changer and life-saver."

Layton's fundraiser has so far raised more than £5,600.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.