Four women are busy training for a gruelling three-day walk through the searing heat of Arizona for a cause close to their hearts.

The Bermuda Belles ? Carol Bell and daughter Emma Uprichard, Karen Rawlins and Judy Panchaud White ? will take part in the three-day charity event next month.

Funds raised by the team in the 60-mile trek go towards vital breast cancer research, and the quartet have collected an impressive $21,000 so far.

On the back of their efforts, a $5,000 donation from BF&M Insurance Group to the Bermuda TB, Cancer and Health Association was rubberstamped yesterday.

The Belles will raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation which was founded in 1982 on a promise made between two sisters, Nancy Goodman Brinker and her dying sister, Susan Goodman Komen, who pledged to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease.

One of the Bermuda walkers, said the mission of the foundation was personal.

Judy Panchaud White, chair of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month for the past decade, said: ?I have had many friends who have survived this disease after lengthy treatment and some who unfortunately, were not so lucky.

?In Bermuda, we can diagnose and perform certain types of the treatment.

?However, in order to do our part to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease we must continue to fund research programmes. It is only via continued research that we will beat this disease.?

She said that scientists had recently developed a vaccine against the HPV virus that causes cervical cancer.

Mrs Panchaud White added: ?This is very exciting as it will make cervical cancer a thing of the past for our future generation; our daughters, granddaughters.

?I am confident that via the continued funding of research development that a similar breakthrough will be discovered in the next decade for breast cancer.?

Carol Bell and daughter, Emma, also have a very strong desire to eradicate the disease.

Said Ms Bell: ?We have personal reasons for wanting to be part of finding a cure as I lost my mother to this disease when I was seven. We have also lost very close friends to breast cancer.?

?I feel very strongly and supportive of the fact that the only cure lies in the research of this devastating disease. We will try to do our small part, in spite of aching bodies, blisters and some close encounters with Bermuda?s traffic.?

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the Belles should call Mrs. Panchaud White on 236-4082.

John White, president and CEO of BF&M, said the company was proud to be associated with the Arizona fundraiser.