***Update, I did it!! I completed the 19 mile/31km swim in 6hours and 39mins, which makes me the second fastest woman EVER to complete it! All the write-ups and information is on my swimming instagram- @amy.swims. Thank you so much for all of your support everyone, it means the world to me***

Hi there, I am Amy and I am going to be swimming from Jersey to France (between 15 and 18 miles depending on the weather and tides) at the end of August!

Why Jersey to France? Well I like swimming. And last year I figured out that I actually quite like swimming really long distances. I decided that I want to swim the English Channel in 2021, and this seemed like a nice easy little warm up before attempting that swim.

The swim takes "the average swimmer between 7 and 10 hours". I have no idea if I am what that website defines as an average swimmer, but hopefully it means I should be swimming around 8-10 hours. Doing a swim so close to home also means that my mum will be able to come out with me on 'holiday' and crew the boat for me as well. 

Why Bowel Cancer UK? In 2010, my dad was rushed to hospital with an undiagnosed obstructive bowel cancer tumor. He went in for emergency surgery 20 mins before I sat my A Level further maths exam. He has been struggling with the repercussions of that diagnosis ever since and is now in the middle of his fifth course of chemotherapy.

It's easy to contemplate the optimistic thoughts of "what if". His outcome might have been better if his symptoms had been recognised earlier, if he had been diagnosed sooner, if he had undergone planned elective surgery rather than emergency surgery and if the first operation had been able to get all of the cancerous cells. 

But sadly none of those things happened. £100 could train a GP in the early diagnosis of Bowel Cancer. £50 could teach 10 more people about the symptoms and risks of Bowel Cancer. £30 funds an hour of lifesaving research. £25 could help 5 people recovering from Bowel Cancer manage their diet (and I can tell you this is not easy from what I've seen, not after chemotherapy too!). £10 can help more information and advice reach those with Bowel Cancer who need the charities' support.

One day, every family who endures a Bowel Cancer diagnosis will be able to look back and only see those optimistic, successful and rose-tinted scenarios. And Bowel Cancer UK will help that happen.