Tuesday, 19th November 2019
For Nicola Haines, cancer didn’t really affect her or ‘hit home’ until February 2012, when her dad was diagnosed with Larynx Cancer.
Since then, she has been fundraising – with an initial goal to raise £3,000. But she has doubled and smashed that figure and is now going for the big one! With £9,240 in the bank, she needed one more challenge to take her to her new £10,000 target – and decided to swim the length of the English Channel – 22 miles or 1416 lengths.
She has swum most of it at Pendle Leisure Centre in Colne, but will be doing the final 50 lengths at West Craven Sports Centre in Barnoldswick, along with her brother Matthew and sister, Leanne Duckworth, so they can finish the fundraising together as a family.
Nicola has spent the last eight years raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support and some of her highlights have included completing Peru’s Inca Trail, a 26 mile walk up and over the Yorkshire 3 Peaks and a 2 mile swim of Lake Windermere.
Nicola said: “I’m not going to lie, it has been tough, testing and tearful; but one thing I do know is my family, friends and the Macmillan staff have all been amazing. My main focus for all this has obviously been my dad, but I also want people to know they are not on their own and support is out there for whenever and whoever needs it.
“We have had a few ups and downs along the way – but we have an amazing dad who is still going strong.
“After receiving the five year ‘all clear’ at the beginning of 2018, the dreaded cancer returned in the September, which this time meant him having to have part of his voice box removed.
“We finally got dad home on New Year’s Eve 2018 ready to start 2019 which we named ‘the year of recovery’. Little did we know cancer was still doing its round and causing problems in dad’s kidney.
“In August this year dad had to have his kidney removed. But he was now talking – and booking a holiday with mum to Africa!
“I never expected to raise £3,000, let alone be so close to that £10,000 mark. It would be amazing to finish 2019 off on a happy note with dad on holiday with mum and me smashing my £10,000 target!”
If you would like to help Nicola raise those last few pounds, you can donate at: https://swimit.macmillan.org.uk/fundraising/just-keepn-swimming