Nick Le Bailly is ready to cycle 600 miles in memory of his father, Graeme. Picture: Peter Mourant (1035445)

NICK Le Bailly is taking up the challenge of cycling over 600 miles across France in a week in memory of his father, who died in July from motor neurone disease.

Aged (27), Nick is a health care assistant for adults with special needs who is busily training for the journey from St Malo to Sete on the Mediterranean, which he begins on Saturday, 11 September.

He is aiming to raise funds for the local branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association which was a major support to his family during his father Graeme’s illness.

Graeme Le Bailly was given a preliminary diagnosis of motor neurone disease in March 2009 which was confirmed six months later.

The disease leads to weakness and wasting of muscles, causing increasing loss of mobility and difficulty in speech, swallowing and breathing.

Born in the Island, married to Lesley and also father to James, Graeme was in business at the Jersey Cook Shop at West’s Centre in the 1980s and 1990s.
For ten years, he ran the Input furniture and soft furnishings business on the ground floor of the House of Dupré.

The online business simplylivingjersey.com, which he then set up, continues as a family business.

Nick was educated at Victoria College and gained a degree in politics at the University of Nottingham.

After working for the Jersey Financial Services Commission, he became a health care assistant, and hopes to study medicine and become a doctor.

Nick said that he was doing the sponsored cycle ride to raise funds for the charity, and also awareness about his father’s illness, for which there is currently no cure.

The local branch made it possible for his father to remain at home until he died by funding nursing care and contributing towards specialised equipment, including hoists, slide bed sheets and wheelchairs.

‘The support and advice we were given from the branch’s qualified volunteer visitors was of great value to us all,’ he said.

During his illness, Mr Le Bailly also spent some time at Clarkson House, where he received care from Jersey Hospice staff, and the family were assisted by Family Nursing and Home Care.

Nick said: ‘My dad was a real fighter, who was determined to maintain his independence for as long as possible.’

A selfless family man, he loved the outdoors, particularly boating and gardening.
An estimated one in 50,000 people suffer from motor neurone disease a year, and it is likely that between two and five people in Jersey have the illness at any time.

Nick said that as well as supporting local sufferers and their families, the local branch also send some funds to national headquarters towards research into finding a cure.

Donations in aid of the national charity may be made on the website www.justgiving.com/nick-le-bailly, or to the local branch by sending a cheque payable to Motor Neurone Disease Association to Nick Le Bailly at La Villaise, Route de la Villaise, St Ouen, JE3 2AP.