This summer I will be attempting to swim solo across the English Channel, with my swim window opening on the 21st July. I will be doing it in memory of my sister, Jo, who died in June 2025, aged just 52, and raising money for Alcohol Change.

Jo was admitted to Yeovil hospital in May 2024 after her health deteriorated quite quickly at home. Within a week, she had picked up a chest infection, which turned into pneumonia and took her into ICU, where she was sedated and intubated. It was only then that we found out she was suffering from liver failure and associated kidney failure from alcoholism. No-one had any idea that she was drinking or how ill she was leading up to being admitted. She now had multiple organ failure.

Jo was in hospital for nearly 2 months. She spent most of the time hooked up to oxygen and dialysis, catheterised and being fed a concoction of blood pressure medication, antibiotics, pain killers, and more. She turned yellow. She didn't have the strength to get herself out of bed. She had dilerium from all the toxins in her body and ICU psychosis from being surrounded by all the machinery and bright lights 24/7. She had a trip to the Intensive Liver Unit at Kings College Hospital in London, where she had a round of Plasma Exchange. Whilst it helped short term and brought her back to us a bit by reducing the delerium, it wasn't enough to kick start her liver and kidneys again. After 10 days there, she was transferred back to Yeovil for end of life care. On the 29th June 2025, with her family around her, all life support removed and sedated for her comfort, she took her last breath.

Nobody should have to go through what I witnessed her endure during her time in hospital. Her dignity, her choices, her life - all taken away. What alcohol can do is horrendous. It is destructive and dangerous, and not talked openly about enough.

Hopefully by supporting Alcohol Change I can make a difference for other people affected by similar difficulties that eventually took Jo from us.