Judy beats challenge out in India

Jan 17 2008 by Neil Atkinson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

BIKING in the Pennines and Yorkshire Dales helped to prepare health service manager Judy Moorhouse for a charity cycle ride in India.

She swapped the lanes and fields of Yorkshire for the spectacular vistas in Asia, including a visit to the Taj Mahal.

Judy, from Honley, who works for the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I went cycling in the hills of West Yorkshire at least three times a week to ensure I was equipped to take on the rural pathways of India.

“I also went on a family biking holiday to Brittany with my husband Chris and children Emily, 18, and Greg, 16, so I did plenty of training.”

She flew into Delhi and had the chance to do some sightseeing – which included visiting the Taj Mahal – before setting off on the five-day, 390-kilometre (about 250 miles) biking challenge.

She said: “It was actually the length of the bike rides in India that I found more exhausting than the terrain encountered.

“One day we cycled from 7am to 5.30pm, covering 97km. That was very tiring and I was glad to eventually get off my bike!”

By taking part in the event on behalf of Women for Women, a charity paying for better health for women and their babies, Judy has raised more than £2,800 that will go toward training women scientists and clinicians, empowering more women to lead in this field.

Once trained, these women will improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a range of conditions affecting women and their babies, including brain injury, miscarriage, infertility, and genetic diseases.

Judy added: “This was a once in a lifetime experience, so as you can imagine there were many highlights along the way.

“But of course my main achievement is having raised such a fantastic sum of money that will help to provide improved health care for women and their babies.”