Coming to the end of my chemo, in the depths of winter, when it was an effort just to walk a few metres, I began looking for a challenge that would celebrate putting the worst of the treatment behind me and give something back for the support of my amazing nurses, doctors and consultants. One sleepless night, I caught the end of a TV programme showing people swimming in open water and emerging smiling. Perfect. I've seen ladies who can swim and chat at the same time, and not even get their hair wet. So at 2am one steroid-charged morning in December, I signed up to do The Great London Swim in Victoria Dock. I’d no real idea of how far a mile was in swimming terms; turns out to be 64 lengths of the local pool. Hmm, I could have a really good conversation in that time and take in some sights along the way. Once I had worked out how to swim in a straight line (the surgery left me a little unbalanced!) I was off, bald and streamlined. Now all I needed was a swimming buddy... Cue very good friend and 'up for it' girl, Kate Bull!......[Katie Flood]

Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page. The money raised will go towards supporting the new Chemotherapy Unit at Hereford, where so many amazing people work and are treated. We are starting our Great Swim at 10am on Saturday 3 July; come and cheer us on if you are in London! We're both aiming to emerge from the water at the finish inside an hour. See here for more about the event

http://www.greatswim.org/Events/British-Gas-Great-London-Swim/Default.aspx

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