Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

In June 2017 the "C" bomb went off for me and my family. I spotted a small indentation under my left breast and was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer.  Disbelief, shock, fear and anger were just some of the many different emotions I felt (and occasionally still do). Within a matter of months I'd had a mastectomy, followed shortly after by lymph node clearance. Then 6 cycles of gruelling chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy.  Not forgetting the 18 herceptin injections, which finally finished in December 2018.

So why Maggie's..........? Maggie's in Cheltenham is a fantastic place which gives anyone affected by cancer a place to feel safe and supported. As soon as I stepped in I felt the warmth and love from the dedicated people who "work" there. There is always a cup of tea on offer and quite often a great big slice of cake too! They run useful and interesting courses and have counsellors to help you deal with the emotional side of Cancer.  I feel lucky to live in Cheltenham and have access to this wonderful place.  The money I raise will go towards helping more people access these facilities.

So why the Great North Swim.........? I LOVE swimming. I LOVE swimming outside!  I actually only realised how much I loved swimming when I couldn't swim for 18 months due to the surgery and treatment.  I actually competed in this event back in 2016 with my lovely friend Janey. That seems like a lifetime ago, the year BC (Before Cancer).  Back then I was racing myself, seeing how fast I could swim a mile in open water.  This time I feel lucky to be at the start line, lucky I can swim again and I'm going to enjoy every bit of it.

Please help me raise money for this wonderful charity through JustGiving. It's simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.