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Job Done!

Job done!  Swam 50 lengths in 45 mins blindfolded.  Raised £1250.  Soooo many people to thank:  fab support from everyone - my fab friends and family who donated, the support from the Wrath of the Barclay boys (Norwich City fan forum) the folks who came to the pool to cheer me on, thanks to the Cotswold BSAC 332 dive club for letting me hijack the club night at the swimming pool, dive buddies who arranged the raffle and baked a cake, my fab husband who kept me safe and on the straight and narrow - literally, this 40-something girl also loved her Mum and Dad being there to cheer her on and not forgetting my gorgeous daughter who was the inspiration for it all.  Would love to do it again.....but further!!!!!!  Photos to follow.  

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

Background

As many of you will know my daughter, Hannah, has recently been registered as partially sighted.  She was born with microphthalmia (which means small eye), she is blind in one eye and wears an artificial eye (that we affectionally call 'Geraldine')! Hannah also has secondary eye condition called nystagmus which affects the sight in her other eye.  Nystagamus is a condition where the eyes move involuntarily and although it affects at least 1 in 1,000 people and is the most common form of serious visual impairment among school age children, many people have never heard of the condition.  This visual impairment means it takes longer for sufferers to see certain things, judge depth of field and the speed of objects coming towards them.  In the UK, most people with nystagmus cannot see well enough to drive a car.  They can also find participating in some sports quite difficult as well as some simple activities like crossing the road.  

We are very lucky.  Overall, Hannah copes very well despite needing to be registered as partially sighted.  She is in mainstream school and most of the time you would never know she has any eye sight difficulties at all.  However, not all children or adults are as lucky as we are and this fundraising event will go some way to help the Nystagmus Network support other people in the same way the charity have helped us with support and advice when we needed it.

Inspired by the Paralympics

I am therefore wanting to help raise awareness and funds for the Nystagmus Network - a charity that will be celebrating 'Wobbly Wednesday' on 6th November which is the first international awareness day for the condition.  The Nystagmus Network have been a great support to us with lots of advice and this sponsored blindfolded swim goes some way to thank them for their support and allow me to go some way to experience what many visually impaired people have to live with. 

Hannah and I were lucky enough to go to the Aquatics Centre during the London 2012 Paralympics and saw some of the swimming events for the visually impaired.  This has inspired me to select this event to raise awareness and funds for the Nystagmus Network.

About the Swim

I will therefore be swimming as many lengths as I can in 45 mins with a safety team pool side giving verbal assistance if I am going too far off course or if am about the reach the end of the pool.

My thanks to the committee and members of BSAC Cotswold 332 (British Sub Aqua Club) for allowing me to use their club night at the pool for this event and for being the pool side support team.  If you'd like to come along to cheer me along, and join us for a drink at the pub afterwards, then please come along to Brockworth Swimming Pool on Friday 8th November 8pm to 9pm.

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