Swim for Sarah

Hello everyone, my name is Tash.

About three weeks ago I learnt the incredibly sad news that Sarah Brown, a much beloved primary school teacher at my children's school, had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. This is truly a cruel disease, Sarah is just 37 years old, a wife and a mother to two young sons aged 5 and 7. Once the reality of what Sarah would be facing the next few months began to sink in, a strong and unwavering desire to help her and her young family came over me and so the idea to swim a sponsored swim was born.

When I am not busy being a mother to three young boys, I spend my days working full time at the Royal Berkshire Hospital as a maternity support worker in the delivery suite, working alongside an amazing team of midwives and doctors helping care for Berkshire's pregnant women and babies. Swimming has always been a passion of mine, and I felt like this was a platform I could utilise to help Sarah and her family.

So what is the challenge?

Over the course of 12 weeks I pledge to swim 2704 lengths of a 25m swimming pool, this equates to 44 miles, that is the same as swimming the English Channel not just there, but back! This will be an incredibly challenging 12 weeks for me, I will be doing this during busy working weeks, through a family holiday, and there may be times I feel unwell, am extra tired or have had an emotionally draining day at work. Due to shift work it may mean I will be going swimming after a 12 hour shift on my feet and to meet my quota of lengths it will mean I need to swim at least 4 times a week, that is 4 times a week every week for 12 weeks! The level of commitment this will require is huge, but something I take on whole heartedly.

I am naturally a quiet person, I am not someone who likes to be front and centre, I would much prefer to sit, watch and support from the sidelines, but this story got me, it got me in a way that nothing has ever got me before. Sarah is in her thirties, as am I. We have children of the same age, with a roll of a die, her situation could be my situation. I am not in the position to donate lots of money personally however I can donate the small amount of time I do have to help raise money, money that will make a massive difference to Sarah and her family. The money raised will go towards paying for complimentary treatments, to go alongside the treatment Sarah is already receiving from our wonderful NHS. The impact this money will make to Sarah is huge, as Sarah has said before this could be the difference between her being here for months or years with her beautiful family.

The 12 weeks will begin on the 15th April and run all the way until 15th July. I will track my swims and upload my progress weekly. Wish me luck!

Lets end with this.. "Incredible things can be done simply if we are committed to making them happen"

Tash