Oasis Travel staff embark on 48-hour cycling fundraiser

Staff from Oasis Travel are setting off today (June 6) on a 48-hour cycling challenge to raise funds for the Northern Ireland Pancreatic Cancer charity (NIPANC).

The travel agency took part in the 480-mile challenge last year, raising £13,500 in memory of Gary Corkin, the agency’s former finance director, who died of the illness in 2020.

He was the brother of executive director Sandra Corkin and uncle to Scott McCabe, Sandra’s son and managing director at Oasis Travel. They are also cycling in memory of colleagues’ other friends and family who have also died of the disease.

Twenty colleagues are cycling this year, including Gary’s wife Wendy who is now company accountant and joined Oasis after he died. Gary’s son Craig is also joining the team.

“We have 10 members of staff who have lost loved ones to pancreatic cancer which is just incredible. I always thought it was a rare cancer that predominantly men in their late 80s may suffer from,” Sandra said.

“The people we have lost range from girls in their early 40s to Gary who was 62.”

Sandra and Scott announced their challenge in a Facebook video, along with colleagues who explained how they have lost loved ones to pancreatic cancer.

She said the cycling challenge around Northern Ireland was launched in 2023 by two sisters who wanted to raise money for NIPANC because one had lost her husband and the other her best friend to pancreatic cancer.

“They contacted us as they knew about Gary and we put some sponsorship up for it,” said Sandra.

“They knew that we were deeply passionate about the charity and asked if we would put a team in for 2024.”