Sadness as Rickshaw Challenge girl loses cancer battle

A teenager who melted hearts when she rode through Melton live on prime time television during the Rickshaw Challenge in November has sadly died after a battle with cancer.
By Nick Rennie
Published 16th Jul 2020, 14:56 GMT
Team Rickshaw member Adelle (17), from Belfast, who has passed away after a battle with cancer, pictured riding the rickshaw along Nottingham Street in Melton live on The One Show last November EMN-200716-115147001Team Rickshaw member Adelle (17), from Belfast, who has passed away after a battle with cancer, pictured riding the rickshaw along Nottingham Street in Melton live on The One Show last November EMN-200716-115147001
Team Rickshaw member Adelle (17), from Belfast, who has passed away after a battle with cancer, pictured riding the rickshaw along Nottingham Street in Melton live on The One Show last November EMN-200716-115147001

Adelle Keown, who was 18, was one of six brave youngsters who overcame personal challenges to help raise £8million for the Children In Need charity by riding relays on a rickshaw for 400 miles from Holyhead, near Liverpool to the BBC studios in Elstree.

Hundreds of people lined Nottingham Street to welcome the team into Melton as millions watched the scene on BBC1’s The One Show following the leg from Matlock, in Derbyshire.

One of the biggest roars of the evening was when Adelle, from County Antrim in Northern Ireland, rode the famous colourful rickshaw past Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe. She was then surprised to be greeted by members of her family in an emotional reunion.

Matt Baker and the Rickshaw Challenge team members pose for photographer Tim Williams after completing leg six from Matlock Bath to Melton - sadly Adelle, to the right of Matt, has passed away after a battle with cancer EMN-200716-115204001Matt Baker and the Rickshaw Challenge team members pose for photographer Tim Williams after completing leg six from Matlock Bath to Melton - sadly Adelle, to the right of Matt, has passed away after a battle with cancer EMN-200716-115204001
Matt Baker and the Rickshaw Challenge team members pose for photographer Tim Williams after completing leg six from Matlock Bath to Melton - sadly Adelle, to the right of Matt, has passed away after a battle with cancer EMN-200716-115204001

Viewers and those looking on in Melton town centre were told about Adelle’s recovery from the same form of cancer which killed her best friend in 2017.

Her life was saved by a bone marrow stem cell transplant in October 2018 and she was well enough to take part in the Rickshaw Challenge but her health deteriorated and she passed away earlier this month.

Presenter Matt Baker, who accompanied Adelle on the ride and who got to know her well, paid tribute to Adelle after her death was announced.

He said: “The first time I met Adelle I was really taken by her quiet determination.

“I spoke to her not so long ago when she was undergoing yet another round of treatment and I was just so impressed by her outlook.

“I am just delighted that she had the opportunity to do the Rickshaw Challenge so millions of people could really see what being an inspiration is really all about.

“She’s going to be greatly missed.”

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