I am swimming 27km across 10 days this May as part of the Swimathon 2023 Challenge to raise money for 2 charities doing amazing and super important work: Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie UK.

Cancer has affected or killed too many people I love and I dread the increase of that number (NHS says 1 in 2 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime). I’ve also seen first hand the incredible labour of love but also the extenuating emotional toll that taking care of someone with a terminal disease has. I hope any money raised will alleviate someone’s pain or contribute to research that prevents that pain from even happening in the first place.

I appreciate that given the current economic situation this is far from the ideal time to be asking people for money so any amount you can chip in would be highly valued! Please find below additional info on what each charity does:

• Cancer Research UK: funds research to help prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. Cancer Research UK is the only charity fighting over 200 cancer types but doesn't receive any government funding for their work, so their progress is all thanks to the support of people like you. 
  

• Marie Curie UK: provides expert care, guidance and support for people living with any terminal illness, and their families. Around 2,100 Marie Curie Nurses work day and night, in people's homes all over the UK, providing hands-on care to people when they need it most. 20£ covers 1 hour of vital nursing care for someone living with a terminal illness in the comfort of their own home.
  

I called this challenge 27k before 27 for I know from one moment to the other your next birthday might not be a given. Thus I am intentionally celebrating a healthy and able body and using it to shed some light on causes that are dear and important to me.

Thanks *SO MUCH* for your support!

Carolina

Helpful links:

- Spotting signs of Cancer: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cancer/symptoms/

- Reducing Your Risk of Cancer: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cancer/