Those of you who know me well will know that I love a challenge. Over the years I have done numerous charity events for charities close to my heart. The events I have done have involved running, cycling and kayaking but never swimming. So why have I decided on a swim this time?

18 months ago William was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, an incurable autoimmune disease affecting the large bowel. This came as quite a shock to us all, most of William, who had to navigate coming to terms with the diagnosis as well as hospital stays, medication, blood tests and numerous hospital visits. All this at 14 when he was coming to the end of his time in secondary school and studying for his GCSE's.

It was at one of his recent hospital visits that I had the idea of doing another sponsored challenge, but this time to raise funds for research into childhood inflammatory bowel disease. It is because of this research that new treatments exist meaning that William can lead a near normal life without restriction and boundaries. William has been faced with a huge challenge so I decided that my challenge had to be something bigger than I have ever attempted before. With this in mind I asked him to help me to decide what I should do. Swimming was an obvious choice as I can't swim, but that wasn't enough. I wanted to do something bigger. I hate the sea, everything about the sea fills me with dread and the thought of swimming in the sea has been until this moment, laughable and unthinkable. So that was it, decision made, William is facing a life long medical condition that he never thought he would have to, I am facing a sea swim that I never thought in a million years I would do.

In August 2027 I will join a team of other swimmers to attempt a relay swim across the English Channel from England to France. Before that I will be learning to swim, first in a pool then in open water. I will have to over come the fear I have of the sea and gradually build the distance I swim until I am good enough to take on this mammoth challenge.

I have started lessons and although progress is slow, I am determined I will achieve my goal. With time, effort and support from William I am excited with what lays ahead and the money I will raise to support children and young people with inflammatory bowel disease liver better lives.

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