A Bermudian who plans to walk the coast of Cornwall in memory of a friend, has already raised more than $15,000 for cancer research and treatment before he has even taken the first step.

Roger Gillett, who recently retired from 30 years' working in Bermuda insurance companies, plans to walk some of Cornwall's 228 miles of coastal footpaths.

Mr. Gillett has organised 'Roger's Walk for Cancer' to raise money for the Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre (CHC) and A Breakthrough, a breast cancer research charity.

He has already had to raise his own expectations, as his previous goal proved to be too conservative.

"I started out aiming to raise $10,000" he said. "But we have already raised $15,000. Now we are aiming to raise $20,000.

"There were a couple of companies that made matching donations, but mainly it has been individuals."

Perhaps one of the reasons that Mr. Gillett has been so successful at finding sympathy for his cause, is that statistics show that one in three people either have had cancer or have a family member or friend with cancer.

Mr. Gillett is one of the one in three. His best friend, Graham Southeran, of Cornwall, died last October from an aggressive brain tumour.

"This is something I have been meaning to do for some time," he said. "My friend's death kicked me into high gear. I realised there was no time like the present.

"I like to walk, and with the coastal path of Cornwall, the only option is to walk it. You can't ride it. It is quite rocky. In some places you have to clamber, let alone walk."

Mr. Gillett and Mr. Southeran grew up together.

"I don't remember a time before him, he was that close a friend," said Mr. Gillett. "He came to Bermuda to see me for my 50th birthday.

"Interestingly enough, his father ran the May 24th half-marathon when he was based in Bermuda as part of the British Navy."

Sadly, Mr. Gillett's sister is now also very sick due to breast and liver cancer, so the walk has taken on even greater significance.

Mr. Gillett's route will begin in Boscastle, going around Lands End, Cornwall.

"We will then go through some fishing villages, Penzance, past St. Michael's Mount, through the Lizard Peninsula and then we will cross the Helford Passage," said Mr. Gillett. "We will go across to Falmouth, Fowey, Looe and finally end on the Devon Cornwall border at the River Tamar.

"My home village, Millbrook, is two miles from the end of the walk. My mother will probably be there to greet me."

Mr. Gillett said that although the weather can sometimes be bad in that part of the world, his schedule does not allow for rain days.

"Where it would be really miserable is at Lands End," he said. "If there is a southwesterly gale coming off the Atlantic, with rain coming in horizontally, we will be digging in. We have no camping equipment. We will be finding accomodation along the way. Our first couple of nights are already booked.

"We set ourselves a tight schedule. The first couple of nights we want to make sure we know where we are going to sleep. It is tough otherwise after a long hard walk. We have done a fair amount of practice walking here, but there is nothing like the real thing. It is going to be really hilly."

Cornwall and Devon are particularly significant this year, because the Sea Venture left from Plymouth, Devon in 1609 passing through the estuary of the River Tamar.

"We anticipate finishing the walk on May 14, a little bit ahead of the date that the Sea Venture left on June 5," said Mr. Gillett. "So it is almost to the date, but not quite.

"But then we haven't done the walk yet. We may get there on June 5, you never know. I will probably go across to Plymouth and stand on the Mayflower Steps that the Sea Venture probably left from."

Mr. Gillett's journey will start on April 28 and will take around 16 days to complete, walking 20 miles a day.

"We are pleased to be a recipient of half the funds raised," said Deborah Narraway of CHC. "Receiving the funds is a wonderful gift, but the lives that Roger is touching through this journey, brings to the forefront how many people's lives are touched by cancer."

Donations received through Roger's Walk for Cancer will be used to expand the CHC's efforts to support cancer patients and their loved ones.

"Mr. Gillett is fulfilling his goal to walk the Cornwall Coastal Path," said Ms Narraway. "Your pledge can help bring us closer to fulfilling the dream of millions of people for improved support systems for cancer survivors and an eventual cure."

To aid Mr. Gillett in chronicling his adventures, M3 Wireless Limited donated a brand new Blackberry wireless handheld device that will allow him to take photos on the walk and email them to the CHC to post on their website.

CHC aims to educate the community about prevention and early detection of cancer and other health issues impacting Bermuda and to provide access to early detection screening, health supplies, information and educational services.

Mr. Gillett will be walking with another Bermudian, Roger Scotton.

"He just retired from XL and he asked if he could walk with me," said Mr. Gillett. "I said, come along. He is a friend of mine."

To pledge support or track Mr. Gillett's progress go to www.chc.bm.