DRESSED TO KEEL
GUY DRESSER IS Rowing 3,000 Miles Solo
and Unsupported across the Atlantic
In 2027 I am taking on one of the biggest endurance challenges there is - the World’s Toughest Row - to raise lifesaving funds for blood cancer charity DKMS, which encourages more people to join the stem cell donor register - one stroke at a time.
My top priority for 2026 is simple: raise the funds I need to reach the start line. Your sponsorship could be the reason I get there.
An epic 3,000 mile rowing race across the Atlantic
The World’s Toughest Row is a 3,000-mile (4,800 km) solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, an extreme test of endurance, resilience, and mental strength. I’ve done it before, and I’m returning not just for the challenge of competing solo, but to make every mile count for something bigger.
This time, I’m rowing to raise funds for DKMS, an international charity that helps fight blood cancer by encouraging more people to join the stem cell donor register, giving hope to patients waiting to find a compatible donor match. It costs DKMS just £40 (45 Euros/42 Swiss Francs) to register each new potential donor, each of whom could be the key to saving a life. By taking on the ocean again, I hope to inspire others either to sign up to the global register or to dig deep.
This challenge is personal to me. If you have ever met parents who have lost a child to cancer, you would want to help in any way you could. No one should die for lack of a stem cell donor. But the importance of becoming a donor or why it matters is not as well known as it should be. I want to change that.
Guy successfully rowed the Atlantic in 2019 as part of Team Margot Atlantic Rowers.
WORLD’S TOUGHEST ROW 2027
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WORLD’S TOUGHEST ROW 2027 ~
Miriam Payne of Seas The Day rowing solo in the World’s Toughest Row 2022
The World’s Toughest Row is a 3,000-mile unsupported crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean.
I’m doing it solo!
The World’s Toughest Row is widely regarded as one of the most extreme endurance challenges on Earth. For around 50 days, I’ll be completely alone at sea, battling sleep deprivation, unpredictable weather, and the mental strain of isolation. There’s no support boat, no engine, and no escape from the elements.
Every mile must be earned with grit, resilience, and relentless effort.
Sam Glover of “The Entrepreneurship” rowing solo in the World’s Toughest Row 2023
This isn’t just a row-it’s a test of everything I’ve got.
What makes the World’s Toughest Row such a difficult event to complete?
Unpredictable weather conditions, mountainous seas and potential equipment failure
Sleep deprivation which can cause hallucinations and leads to impaired judgment
Physical hardship, including salt sores, severe blistering, sunburn, and exhaustion
WHY I am ROWing THE ATLANTIC IN 2027
I will be 60 in 2027 when I start the World’s Toughest Row in La Gomera, Canary Islands. Taking part at this age will be tougher for me than for some of the 20- and 30-somethings who also take part every year. But if it were easy, more would do it. Fewer than 200 people have ever rowed the Atlantic ocean solo. That’s a lot less than climb Everest every single year.
I have already completed one Atlantic row. I know what I am letting myself in for. I rowed in 2019 to improve awareness of the global Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Register. But I still feel I have unfinished business.
For example, at any time in the UK alone, around 2,000 people need stem cell transplants but can’t find a matching donor, especially those from minority ethnic backgrounds, who are underrepresented on the donor register.
YOUR DONATION COULD SAVE LIVES!
I’m Guy Dresser. I rowed the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (now the World’s Toughest Row) as part of a trio in 2019, and in 2027 I’ll take it on again - this time solo for DKMS, an international non-profit organisation that fights blood cancer by encouraging more people to join the stem cell donor register.
Finding a compatible stem cell donor is incredibly complex due to the millions of possible tissue type combinations. According to DKMS:
Every year, thousands of patients worldwide require a stem cell transplant as their best chance of survival.
Patients from Black, Asian or mixed heritage backgrounds face longer waits to find a compatible stem cell donor match due to underrepresentation on donor registries.
In the UK alone, every 14 minutes someone is diagnosed with blood cancer.
For many patients, a transplant is their best hope of a second chance at life and more precious time with loved ones.
This is why fundraising for DKMS is so critical. Every £40 raised allows DKMS to cover the cost of registering a new potential stem cell donor, increasing the odds of saving a life. If I can persuade one person to join the register who then proves to be a match, that’s potentially one life saved!
FUNDRAISING FOR DKMS
I choose to support DKMS because their mission is simple yet life-changing: to find stem cell donors for people diagnosed with blood cancers and disorders. Every year, thousands of patients need a transplant, but many can’t find a match, especially those from ethnic minority or mixed heritage backgrounds who are underrepresented on the stem cell donor register. DKMS works tirelessly to grow the global donor regist aernd give every patient hope of a second chance at life.
It costs DKMS £40 to register a new stem cell donor, but that sum could lead to a lifesaving transplant. Donations in support of DKMS also fund research focused on continually improving the survival and recovery rate of people with blood cancers or disorders. By backing my row, you’re helping DKMS save lives—one stroke, one swab, one match at a time.
WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT
I have started my campaign to find sponsorship for my row in 2027. With just 18 months to go before I take to the water in La Gomera, Canary Islands, to row solo across the Atlantic to Antigua, my immediate priority is securing sponsorship to get to the start line. This challenge demands not only physical and mental preparation, but also significant financial backing to cover the boat, equipment, training, and logistics.
Once I’ve built that foundation, my full focus will shift to supporting DKMS and raising funds that could genuinely save lives. Every pound, euro or Swiss franc raised for DKMS helps register potential stem cell donors, giving hope to patients with blood cancer who are still waiting for a match.
The row itself will be a monumental test, but right now, the mission begins with building the team of supporters who will help make it happen. If you believe in bold goals and life-changing impact.
Together we can save lives and I’d be honoured to have your support on this journey.
Thank you to my sponsors and partners
DRESSED TO KEEL BLOG
Join me on this incredible journey!
Help me get to the start line. Sponsor my Atlantic row, spread the word, and follow the campaign. Your support, or your company’s, or an organisation you may be involved with, could help save lives with DKMS by helping me reach the start line in La Gomera in December 2027. Please get on board!
