My story:

I have always been a swimmer, the pool has always been a safe place for me even when times got tough.

Back in 2012 I was swimming 9 or 10 times a week and competing at National level, until illness struck. It started with facial weakness, I was struggling to talk, eat and swallow. The weakness gradually grew worse and at my very lowest my body was too weak to lift myself up off the hospital bed, nor could I clear my lungs - making my oxygen levels drop dangerously low. At age 15 I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, a neurological autoimmune disease causing muscle weakness (not ideal for a swimmer!).

In 2013 I had a thymectomy to help easy my myasthenia, and after the op I ended up in ICU and had a collapsed lung and chest infection (not my finest hour). Although I wasn’t treated for my illness with cosmic (as I lived up north and was treated by Sheffield children’s hospital and John Radcliffe Oxford), I have heard of the great work they do and having been through tough times as a child, I thought I’d like to do my bit to try and help them!

In 2013 if you’d have told me I would be prepping to swim the channel as part of a relay I would not have believed you, as at my weakest I was unable to even swim a length in a 25m pool! But I stuck at it and worked hard on improving my swimming and getting as well as I possibly could.

I’m doing this swim, not only to help raise money for the wonderful cosmic charity, but also to help show that a diagnosis doesn’t have to define you, you can still keep working hard and enjoying life!

A little about cosmic:

Cosmic supports the neonatal and paediatric intensive care units at St Mary’s and Queen Charlotte’s Hospitals. We fund life-saving equipment, pioneering research, and specialist staff training. Most importantly, we’re there for families — offering comfort, counselling, and a place to stay during the darkest days of their child’s life. With your support, we can give seriously ill babies and children the best possible chance to survive and thrive.