Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

Between the 4^th September and 9^th October 2010, local aquatic clubs in Carmarthen, West Wales are taking part in a sponsored charity swim at Carmarthen Leisure Centre in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. The event is being organised in memory of Elwyna Thomas who passed away in October 2009. Elwyna was an active club swimmer and coach and as a tribute to her, the family has decided to organise an event along the lines of a charity swimathon.

The event will take the form of a “Swim the Atlantic Challenge” which will emulate the achievement of Frenchman Benoit Lecomte who in 1998 became the first person to swim 5980km (3716miles) across the Atlantic Ocean. He undertook the challenge to raise money for cancer charities in memory of his own father who died of bowel cancer.

Members of the following clubs - Carmarthen & District Swimming Club, Nofio Sir Gar Performance Squad, Carmarthenshire Masters Swimming Club and Carmarthen Water Polo club, together with Carmarthen Leisure Centre staff and other selected swimmers are to collectively swim the equivalent distance at the Carmarthen Leisure Centre Swimming Pool over the 5 week period. The total distance will equate to 239,200 lengths.

Elwyna received quality care from dedicated local Macmillan nurses during her illness. The care took the form of both emotional and medical support which also extended to the whole family. From their regular visits you could see that their role was a challenging one but they undertook it with enthusiasm and commitment, driven by the knowledge that they could make a difference to others.

The family would like to repay some of that support in a practical way so that others affected by cancer can receive the same support. Macmillan Cancer Support is a national charity and their nurses work closely with local support services, such as GPs, hospital oncology departments and hospices.

Macmillan Cancer Support relies on charitable donations for 99% of their income and all money raised will help at both a national and local level.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Our target is a minimum of £5,980, a pound for every kilometre swum. So please dig deep and donate now.

Thank you.