Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I met Annabel Bartfeld when our precious baby boys were 3 months old - IN A SWIMMING POOL!!! We were both starting our parenting journey's with a similar desire to inspire confidence and love of the water in our kids.

Within a few weeks of meeting her (at that point conversations were, as common to new mums, about feeding/sleeping/poing and frankly being in the pool was relaxing for us all), it became apparent that her incredibly supportive husband was taking over the swim classes. Jason being athletic and handsome, we assumed was choosing to come along and meet the mums in the pool!!!

How wrong I was.

When Zak was just 3/4 months and Annabel by now pregnant with Rafi, her eldest daughter Jessica was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor. She was rushed into Great Ormond Street where she and mum were to spend the next five months (baby Zak at home with dad and Rafi just on the way).  First, Jessy had to undergo major surgery and then it was a long period of anxious rehabilitation. It was such a scary time for all and somehow knowing of the crisis meant that we actually came to know each other quickly and well - with Jason delivering weekly updates, and Annabel when she could, coming to swimming presumably to spend some precious time with Zak. 

To this day, Annabel speaks to me regularly of the care, support, love and unbelievable high quality of medicine that they recieved at Great Ormond Stree Hospital. The gratitude I believe she feels towards the people on the ward, the dcotors and the whole institution cannot be fully expressed. I do believe her actions however, demonstrate her comittment. She has now for 5 years running, done a myriad of fund-raising events (she is very creative about these - check her web page and see all) - and very successfully raised over £100,000 to help kit out a new children's specialist wing at the hospital. Her comittment to this is unfailing.

As my swimming comrade, dear friend and running partner, I now wish to join Annabel and her team for GOSH and show my support to what I know is an unbelievable organisation, made possible only by the hard work and goodness of all those involved. 

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So please dig deep and donate now.