SportGibraltar

Cycling: London to Gibraltar Cyclists achieve their goal

The four Gibraltarians cycling from the Royal Marsden to the Lady Williams Cancer Support Centre in Gibraltar reached the end of their arduous journey on Saturday.

Freddie and Richard Muscat, Sigurd Haveland, Julian Bellido and support driver Jimmy Valarino deserve a big pat on their backs for a job well done.

With aching leaden legs but spirits still soaring the cyclists, who had been cycling 9 hours a day since they left the Royal Marsden on the 25th September, completed a remarkable feat of physical and psychological endurance in order to raise money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign and the Gibraltar Society for Cancer Relief which runs the Lady Williams Cancer Support Centre.

Centre Coordinator, Selena Victory said "we are delighted that Freddie and his team have chosen to support these two charities which both provide treatment and support to cancer patients from Gibraltar. Although on vastly different scales, we are both charities that need to raise large amounts of money every year just to maintain the services we provide. It's amazing that even world renowned hospitals such as the Royal Marsden rely on charity to enable them to provide equipment and services for cancer patients. The Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign raises money for the hospital, for new equipment such as scans etc. The Royal Marsden treats 40,000 patients every where, many of whom are Gibraltarian. One such person was Freddie's son who was treated successfully at the hospital, and who was so impressed by the excellent care received that he was spurred into organising the London2gib Cycle."

On a much smaller scale, the work of the Gibraltar Society for Cancer Relief also demands constant fundraising. The Society runs the Lady Williams Cancer Support Centre on Devils Tower Road which is a vital service for cancer patients in Gibraltar. The Centre offers day care and respite facilities, a complementary therapy service, information and resources library and other activites, free of charge to all patients. The Centre is also the base for the Hospice at Home Nursing service which provides nursing care at home by specialised nurses and nursing equipment, in order for then to stay at home as long as possible.

"At present" says Selena "we are involved with around 40 people who have, or are recovering from, cancer, be it through the work Centre or through the work being done in the community by our Hopsice at Home nurse Christine Gil, who works very closely with the District Nurses. This doesn't include the many people who visit the Centre for information and advice, that attend the Support Group meetings or the many who we offer financial assistance to."

EVERY PENNY COUNTS

Every penny the Society raises is kept in Gibraltar and is ploughed back into the Society's work. They have to fundraise continously to maintain the level of services they have developed over the last couple of years, and are lucky to be very well supported by the public, especially through large events like these.

Commenting on the generosity the people of Gibraltar have shown the Society, Selena added "I know that the support people in Gibraltar have shown for the many cancer related charity events over the last few months has been overwhelming, but I would ask everyone to dig just a little bit deeper and show their support for the extraordinary effort these men are making, and we hope people will come to the Centre to welcome them home this afternoon".

The London2Gib Cycle hopes to raise £20,000. Donations can be made by dialling 8921 (to donate £1.00), at Barclays Bank or by sending cheques to the Lady Williams Cancer Support Centre made to 'Cancer Relief L2GC'. Online donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/london2gibcycle.

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