Thank you for helping me to raise funds for the Cavitron fund. Please help support the excellent work by the Neurosurgical team at Derriford by supporting me to do a 1 mile outdoor swim on Sat July 20th 2013!

As little as you can spare would be a great help and every little goes so even a £1 would be going towards a worthy treatment.

Back in February 2011 I suffered the ongoing agony of sciatica which resulted from 2 ruptured discs in my lower spine. For 18mths I spent weeks at a time being completely immobile.

In May 2012 I was finally admitted to Derriford and despite my fears the operation by their Neurosurgical Department has given me back everything I could ever want.

Swimming was the first sport I could partake in during my recovery and the freedom of being able to move freely and painlessly in water has given me a whole new love of the water.

The Cavitron Fund was started in 1982 to support the Neurosurgical Department at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth. This hospital serves the South West Peninsular of England.

Their main objective of the Fund is the relief and treatment of persons with brain or spinal cord tumours by the provision of facilities, equipment and health care not normally available from public funds which I feel is a worthy cause. You can keep updated on the specialist equipment bought and used on http://www.cavitronfund.org.uk/ such as specialist scaners and rotating operating tables.

I received wonderful care and I have met so many others with degenerative disc problems requiring surgery and treatment. I hope I never have to visit the team for anything more serious.

I will keep you all posted on my progress with pictures and updates.

Thank you so much for your support, and if you want to come and cheer me on on the day let me know. Goggles at the ready.