A Plymouth scientist is taking the plunge for his seventh consecutive Swimathon this year, in memory of one of his students who sadly died from cancer.
Dr David Jenkins, associate professor of Nanomaterials and Devices at the University of Plymouth, will swim five kilometres on May 14 at Plympton Pool to raise money for Cancer Research UK and the end of life charity Marie Curie.
He is urging others to make a splash too by taking part in the world’s largest annual fundraising swim for the two much-loved causes.
Swimathon takes place from May 12 to 14 at pools and venues across Devon and the UK – including pools in Plymouth.
David, who is 62 and lives in Hooe, explained:
“As someone who works in early detection, I know how important it is to spot the signs and symptoms of cancer early, but research needs to be funded and I am glad to do my part in raising awareness and funds for cancer research.
“I have researched various fields of cancer, including pancreatic and early onset gliomas, and understanding more about these diseases, such as lifestyle markers and using technology to spot the signs early, is important.
“One of my students, Ms Suad Al-Soeh, sadly died in her 30s from leukaemia. It was hoped she would have a bone marrow transplant but she died alone in hospital not long after her diagnosis.
“We all know someone with cancer or has been through the disease, but funding is important for both Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie, in order to keep people living longer and with kinder treatment options.”
With a variety of distances available – from 400m up to 30.9k – the sponsored event offers a challenge for swimmers young and old, new and experienced.
People can participate individually or as part of a team. Any swimmers who can’t make one of the organised sessions can sign up to MySwimathon, which takes place from April 28 to May 21, and choose a time and venue that suits them.
David swims three times a week and enjoys the time he gets to practice his front crawl. He is hopeful that covering 200 lengths will take him around two hours and 20 minutes.
He added:
“I enjoy the concentration that swimming allows me, it is just me and the chance to exercise both body and mind and that it’s a great form of exercise. As someone with Aspergers too, the chance to ‘switch my head off’ is glorious and keeps me swimming every week.”
By sharing his story he hopes to inspire people across Devon to get off the starting blocks and help support the charities close to his heart.
David is keen to emphasise that you don’t need to be a super swimmer to take part.
He added:
“Swimathon is such a fun and simple way to encourage people to dip their toe in the water and get swimming. It really doesn’t matter if you’re not the fittest or the fastest. I hope swimmers of all ages and abilities grab their caps and costumes to help thousands of families across the UK.”
Swimathon has raised more than £55m for charity since it began in 1986. With rising energy costs putting some community pools at risk of closure, not only does the event support vital causes, £2.50 from the entry fee of everybody taking part at an official Swimathon venue is donated to help protect these pools for the future.
Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Devon, Alison Birkett, said:
“Whether you supercharge your swim and take on the 30.9k challenge or 5k is more in your lane, with Swimathon there’s a distance to suit everyone. There are also lots of great benefits to taking part, not least the chance to enjoy the water while supporting people like David.
“One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime, but all of us can support the research that will beat it. From proving the link between smoking and cancer, to laying the foundations for modern radiotherapy our scientists have been at the forefront of cancer research for 120 years. And we’re not stopping now. That’s why we’re urging swimmers to dive in, raise money and help us keep making new discoveries and breakthroughs. Together we will beat cancer.”
Marie Curie’s director of Community Fundraising, Jayne Waterhouse, said:
“Swimathon is an iconic event in the Marie Curie calendar and one we all look forward to every year. The exciting and inclusive challenge sees thousands of people take the plunge with sponsored swims up and down the country, whilst raising money to help Marie Curie support those affected by terminal illness.”
Sign up for Swimathon 2023 at swimathon.org
Support David’s Swimathon at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/davidjenkins2023
