Big-hearted friends Jessica Wade and Joy Pimental are set to go that extra mile for charity this week when they take part in a 60-mile walk in aid of breast cancer sufferers.

The women have been in training for the past two months for the three-day hike in New York this weekend, which aims to raise money for the Avon Crusade.

Mrs. Wade, from Devonshire, said she hoped to raise about $3,500 for the cause, while Mrs. Pimental said she was on target to raise well over $2,000.

They must walk 20 miles a day this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and camp overnight in between.

Mrs. Pimental, a marketing executive for Argus Insurance, said: "I think we will be alright. We have been training for about a month-and-a-half, and we figured it should be easier without the heat and humidity of Bermuda.

"Everyone who takes part has to raise at least $1,900, but we have already got that, so everything else is a bonus for the charity.

"I'm looking forward to the personal challenge, but it will be good because everyone is there for the same reason.

"We will be living in a tent for two days - I think it will be fun."

Mrs. Pimental, 50, who is the mother of two boys, said she was encouraged by her friend to take part in the New York walk, which is one of many organised across the US by Avon.

They will set off from Rockland Lake State Park, but, as yet, the route has not been disclosed for security reasons following September 11, although they will finish at Pearl River.

She added: "What's neat about it is that we are doing it in October, which is Breast Cancer Month. We did the TB and Breast Cancer walk in Bermuda last week, so I suppose that was a warm up for this walk this weekend."

Mrs. Wade, who is a dietician at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, said she really wanted to take part in the crusade walk after witnessing friends suffer at the hands of cancer and other devastating illnesses.

"Joy is very project orientated, and I said to her one day that I had a new project for her. I think she thought I was out of my mind," said Mrs. Wade.

"There are many reasons why I wanted to do this. I have had some friends and colleagues who have gone through significant things, and it put everything in perspective for me.

"I felt I wanted to do something, and I came across the Avon Crusade website when looking up information on cancer. It went from there really."

Mrs. Wade has been out and about in recent days collecting donations for their trip, and said she had been bowled over by the willingness of people to give.

"A lot of people have pledged money," she added.

"The time needed to go around and collect the pledges is very consuming. People have been amazingly generous - it has been wonderful. I have been blown away."

The money raised by Avon Breast Cancer Three-Day event will be donated to a number of different breast cancer-related groups, as well as used for research into the disease.

"The research aspect of the fundraising really interested me," said Mrs. Wade.

"Even though the money may not be coming directly to Bermuda, everybody benefits from research."

Anyone who wishes to donate to the charity walk should visit the Avon three-day website at Bethepeople.com.