Swimming for Cancer – FIT IS A FEMINIST ISSUE

A few weeks ago, Sam posted about her cycling challenge to raise funds to fight childhood cancer.

My challenge is a little different. The goal is to swim 10 km in August to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Why? Over the years, my dad had prostate cancer, then melanoma, and eventually died from colorectal cancer. My sister has had thyroid cancer. My grandpa died of lung cancer and my grandma of breast cancer. My best friend from university died of ovarian cancer.

Far too many other friends have been diagnosed with various forms of cancer. Some have survived. I would like fewer friends to have it in the first place, and all of them to survive.

I’m swimming whenever I get the chance: at my pool between shifts, at my cottage, at a small private lake where I have been invited as a guest. If the weather holds today, I’ll be doing short swims in all four of the open water river spots maintained by the NCC in Ottawa.

My Strava map from a swim at my friend’s lake; me at the pool where I work after a quick swim; my friend Florence and I midway through exploring the little lake at my cottage.

I still have 4 km to swim. There is still time to sponsor me and help the Cancer Society achieve its $400,000 goal (it’s currently at $309,000). You can do so here. Thanks!

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Published by Diane Harper

Diane Harper is a retired former public servant who lives and swims (and bikes) in Ottawa. In her hobby life, she is Siglinde Harfnerstochter, a 6th C Merovingian housewife from the city of Metz. Her primary interests are cooking, textile arts and bonecarving. Siglinde lives in the canton of Caldrithig, Barony of Skraeling Althing, Kingdom of Ealdormere.
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