Jody Jones
Jody's English Channel Solo Swim
Fundraising for Blesma The Limbless Veterans
Story
**UPDATE: I SWAM THE ENGLISH CHANNEL! 18 HOURS, 14 MINUTES & 30 SECONDS, LANDING ON WISSANT BEACH, FRANCE ON 28TH AUGUST JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT**
At some point, between 8th & 14th August 2019, I will be attempting to swim from Dover across the busiest shipping lane in the world, in just a swimming costume, hat and goggles (as per English Channel rules) 21 miles across the English Channel, to France. I'm not allowed to touch my pilot boat or anyone on it and I will not be wearing a wetsuit. The temperature will be between 16-18 degrees C and there will likely be strong currents, jellyfish and large ships to contend with. I will have completed well over 1000 training miles, swimming in water ranging from 3 to 30 degrees, in all weathers and seasons, in lakes, pools, rivers and the sea. I've also endured countless jellyfish stings (they seem to love me!). To date, less than 2000 have successfully completed this swim - more people have climbed Everest!
I was supposed to be swimming the Channel in August 2018, but just before Christmas 2017, aged 39, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Bowel Cancer that had also spread to my liver. The shock diagnosis was swiftly followed by emergency surgery to remove half of my colon, 12 chemotherapy treatments over 6 months, various minor ops, frequent scans, liver ablation surgery & most recently, deep abdominal surgery to remove more lymph nodes. I’m currently receiving daily targeted therapy specifically for my particular mutation of bowel cancer with many similar side effects to those I experienced whilst on chemo in 2018. I’ve been training for my swim throughout my treatment, including a 5 hour sea swim just 3 weeks after finishing last years’ chemo. I’m now more determined than ever to become a Channel Swimmer and to make my husband and our 2 little girls proud, whilst raising money for a very special charity.
Since my Channel journey began in 2015, I have learnt so much about what this means to me and have met so many hugely inspiring people along the way. My other passion, singing, led me to Blesma - The Limbless Veterans Charity. I sing with & am currently the Choir Lead of the North London Military Wives Choir and in April 2017, we were invited to sing at a Blesma fundraiser in London. I was hugely inspired and humbled by the people I met that day and so I will be swimming from England to France for Blesma. As the wife of a British Army veteran, military charities are naturally very close to my heart and to see the work that Blesma do in supporting our veterans, including personal friends of mine, who have lost limbs, eye or the use of their limbs or sight, is simply awe inspiring.
Thank you so much for taking the time to look at my fundraising page.
Some information about this wonderful charity & the work they do: Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, is dedicated to assisting serving and ex-Service men and women who have suffered life-changing limb loss or the loss of use of a limb, an eye or loss of sight. We support these men and women in their communities throughout the UK and overseas. We work tirelessly for our Members when the conflicts that have affected their lives are no longer a focal point in the nation’s media. Since 1932, we have been the only national Service charity that supports limbless veterans for the duration of their lives. Our Members range from the youngest amputee veterans to those who fought in WWII, some having lived with limb loss for more than half a century. Modern medicine transforms the physical injury, but it is a complicated process to treat the emotional trauma and related lifelong health problems. Blesma provides a network where Members not only enjoy support from our professional Welfare Team, but where they have the opportunity to engage with others who have similar injuries and backgrounds to themselves, building an important fellowship with each other to overcome everyday battles.
At some point, between 8th & 14th August 2019, I will be attempting to swim from Dover across the busiest shipping lane in the world, in just a swimming costume, hat and goggles (as per English Channel rules) 21 miles across the English Channel, to France. I'm not allowed to touch my pilot boat or anyone on it and I will not be wearing a wetsuit. The temperature will be between 16-18 degrees C and there will likely be strong currents, jellyfish and large ships to contend with. I will have completed well over 1000 training miles, swimming in water ranging from 3 to 30 degrees, in all weathers and seasons, in lakes, pools, rivers and the sea. I've also endured countless jellyfish stings (they seem to love me!). To date, less than 2000 have successfully completed this swim - more people have climbed Everest!
I was supposed to be swimming the Channel in August 2018, but just before Christmas 2017, aged 39, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Bowel Cancer that had also spread to my liver. The shock diagnosis was swiftly followed by emergency surgery to remove half of my colon, 12 chemotherapy treatments over 6 months, various minor ops, frequent scans, liver ablation surgery & most recently, deep abdominal surgery to remove more lymph nodes. I’m currently receiving daily targeted therapy specifically for my particular mutation of bowel cancer with many similar side effects to those I experienced whilst on chemo in 2018. I’ve been training for my swim throughout my treatment, including a 5 hour sea swim just 3 weeks after finishing last years’ chemo. I’m now more determined than ever to become a Channel Swimmer and to make my husband and our 2 little girls proud, whilst raising money for a very special charity.
Since my Channel journey began in 2015, I have learnt so much about what this means to me and have met so many hugely inspiring people along the way. My other passion, singing, led me to Blesma - The Limbless Veterans Charity. I sing with & am currently the Choir Lead of the North London Military Wives Choir and in April 2017, we were invited to sing at a Blesma fundraiser in London. I was hugely inspired and humbled by the people I met that day and so I will be swimming from England to France for Blesma. As the wife of a British Army veteran, military charities are naturally very close to my heart and to see the work that Blesma do in supporting our veterans, including personal friends of mine, who have lost limbs, eye or the use of their limbs or sight, is simply awe inspiring.
Thank you so much for taking the time to look at my fundraising page.
Some information about this wonderful charity & the work they do: Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, is dedicated to assisting serving and ex-Service men and women who have suffered life-changing limb loss or the loss of use of a limb, an eye or loss of sight. We support these men and women in their communities throughout the UK and overseas. We work tirelessly for our Members when the conflicts that have affected their lives are no longer a focal point in the nation’s media. Since 1932, we have been the only national Service charity that supports limbless veterans for the duration of their lives. Our Members range from the youngest amputee veterans to those who fought in WWII, some having lived with limb loss for more than half a century. Modern medicine transforms the physical injury, but it is a complicated process to treat the emotional trauma and related lifelong health problems. Blesma provides a network where Members not only enjoy support from our professional Welfare Team, but where they have the opportunity to engage with others who have similar injuries and backgrounds to themselves, building an important fellowship with each other to overcome everyday battles.