AN Islander who lost her husband to cancer has managed to raise over £2,000 for two cancer charities by completing a 326 km cycle ride.

The first charity to benefit from Gerry Martin’s efforts is Jersey Hospice Care and the other half of the money raised from her cycle ride will go to a charity in Ecuador that provides palliative care for cancer patients and is run by Jerseywoman, Dr Nicky Bailhache.

Gerry (64), of Les Fourneaux, St Brelade, cycled 326 km from Passau, Germany, to Vienna in Austria with her sister Marjorie (59) and their friend June in September.

The mother of two, who works part time in St Paul’s Centre, Dumaresq Street, said that she wanted to help Jersey Hospice after they helped her by providing bereavement counselling when her husband, Alan, died of non Hodgkin’s lymphoma in May 2007.

She said: ‘The oncology department were marvellous and the care Alan received was wonderful. ‘We do not have to wonder whether we can afford cancer treatment in Jersey, but in Quito (Ecuador), families are poor and can’t afford the treatment.’

The three managed to successfully complete the 326 km journey, an achievelment all the more remarkable because Mrs Martin suffers from a chronic lung condition called Bronchiectasis, which has resulted in her having half a lung removed.

Gerry said: ‘We managed to do it! It was brilliant and we thoroughly enjoyed it all, although I admit that there were difficult times.

‘For a start, the weather was much colder than we expected and, although we managed to keep warm cycling, it was difficult to stop and admire the scenery for very long or even eat our lunch without shivering.

‘At the end of one particularly long day we were very cold, soaking wet and tired, and couldn’t find our guest house, so then started questioning whose silly idea this was. The total amount we raised was just over £2,600 and we wanted to thank everyone who sponsored us.’

• Picture: A ferry crossing gives Marjorie (left), June and Gerry a welcome break from the saddle during their 326-km ride