Cathie was a very accomplished Open Water Swimmer with many successes under her belt. These include solo swims of the English Channel, Round Jersey Island, Jersey to France, and Lake Windermere. In addition, she took part in numerous open water relay swims: several English channel relays, and a Lake Zurich relay. She also took part in two epic, three person relays, a two-way relay in the English Channel and a 3 person relay of Lake Geneva (64 km). Most recently, she completed  a solo crossing of Robben Island swim in South Africa after finishing her cancer treatment. She also supported many swimmers during their training and channel swims.

Last September, we travelled to the Lake District to swim the length of Ullswater Lake. To our disappointment, the swim got cancelled due to bad weather. This did not deter Cathie from just getting on with whatever there was and she swam 5 loops of a buoyed 1 mile course that was set up instead. It couldn't have been a more horrible day, windy, cold, very choppy, but she just swam on and on. No wetsuit, no feeds. 

We planned to return to this 'unfinished business' this July. Sadly, Cathie was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer and tragically passed away on May, 17, just over a month after her 50th birthday.

To honour her memory and raise funds for the charity of her choice, her friend and swim companion in many swims, Liz Rycroft, and myself, Laura Lopez-Bonilla, together with Channel Swimmer, Margot Anderson, as our coach and feeder, will complete this unfinished swim for Cathie on June 22nd.  Our goal is to raise £700 for Breast Cancer Now: £100 for every mile that we swim.

 We think these pictures capture beautifully Cathie's essence and spirit. 

Her drive, determination and discipline to see anything through no matter what, as well as her joy and generosity epitomise the person that Cathie was. Cathie will still keep on swimming in each stroke her friends will ever take.