Hi, my name is Anna and I’m a teacher at Epworth swimming pool.

In early January, one of my gifted young Water Heroes swimmers, seven-year-old Lydia Lowe, suffered a cardiac arrest caused by an ischaemic and twisted bowel as a result of an unknown congential bowel malformation.

Thankfully, Lydia was saved, but due to her cardiac arrest and major abdominal surgery, she has been left with a number of serious health challenges. Including a loss of vision, as well as having to learn to walk, talk and eat again. She will need a lot of rehab, support and changes to her and her family’s life moving forward.

We’ve teamed up Water Heroes and Sharks to do a sponsored swim on Sat 27th April, so that all the swimmers that know Lydia will have a chance to swim as far as they can and do their bit to help.

As we are running a sponsored swim, it only seemed right as Lydia’s coaches, for us to swim too! So myself, Richard, Dan and Vicky will be doing our own 10k swim throughout the event. Anything you can donate to us will be very much appreciated. 100% of what we raise will go to Lydia’s family, to help towards her future.

The money raised will go towards neuro-rehabilitation, home adaptations, time in a hyperbaric chamber, a motability vehicle as well as a number of other specialist items to help Lydia reach her full potential and live life to the fullest.

Lydia is such a bright personality, not to mention a talented little swimmer and we’re all missing having her around. She’s a part of our swimming family and we want to do whatever we can to help Lydia’s future be as bright as possible. Any amount you can donate will make a difference, and we will update you on how we get on.

Thank you so much,

Anna x