Two Harold Hill mums are diving in at the deep end as they plan to swim 33 miles – that’s further than crossing the English Channel – to raise money for charity.
Jenny Russell, 44, and her friend Rita O’Leary, 50, will swim a mile every day, for 33 days, because that is the number of radiotherapy sessions Jenny’s dad Melvin has undergone.
Melvin, 71, was diagnosed with lung cancer in January this year, and since then, he has been undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the Sunflower Suite and Oncology department in Queen’s Hospital, Romford.
As a thank you for the staff’s work, Rita and Jenny are raising money for the ward.
Jenny’s daughter, Robyn, 11, will swim three miles to do her bit to raise money.
So far the three have raised £333. They have set a target of £750.
The friends started on the day Melvin finished his treatments – Friday, April 12.
They are planning on swimming 64 lengths each day – 2,112 lengths in total.
The Channel swim is 21 miles.
The London Marathon is 26 miles.
Jenny said: “I have promised my dad that I will swim 33 miles to raise money for the Sunflower Suite that has provided his treatment, and who have been amazing. And my gorgeous friend Rita is going to do it with me!
“He said he got weekends off from his treatment for good behaviour and therefore so should we!
“The staff have been amazing at the suite, and they have worked so hard to look after all the patients on the ward including my dad, we just wanted to do something to show our appreciation.”
To donate go to Jenny an Rita’s JustGiving page.
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