When NHS111 Health Advisor and Coach Russell first signed up for the Diabetes UK Swim22 Challenge, it was almost by accident.
“I think the algorithms must have been watching,” he joked. “My mum’s been living with diabetes for about three years, and I’d probably searched for a few things online. One day in January, I saw the challenge pop up, swim the equivalent of the English Channel between March and June. In a weak moment, I thought, why not?”
Over the next few months, Russell carved out time after his shifts to swim at a nearby leisure centre. “I’m someone who responds well to structure, and having a challenge like this gave me a reason to get moving. I didn’t always feel like it, but I always felt better afterwards.”
He completed the full 22 miles just before the deadline, finishing with a celebratory dip in the sea off Blackpool. “The Eiffel Tower wasn’t available, so Blackpool was the next best thing.”
Russell has raised over £850 so far, and thanks to DHU’s Social Impact Committee, his fundraising will be match-funded, doubling the impact.
While he hasn’t settled on what’s next, Russell says the experience has made a difference to his own wellbeing and might even spark a new habit. “I haven’t quite decided what I’ll do next, but I do want to keep going.”
You can still support Russell’s Swim22 and help fund vital research and support for people living with diabetes by visiting his fundraising page here.