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'I got addicted to the peace and quiet', Archie
I signed up as I wanted to take on a fitness challenge. It was a fitness challenge at the start, then I focused a lot on fundraising (Archie was our top fundraiser in 2020 and raised over £3,000!). My first swim I swum 8 lengths, next I swum 20 lengths, then 40 lengths, then a mile and it kept going up from there.
I learnt that it is mind over matter and if you don’t give up you can get it done. I’ve never been an athlete and I’ve never been good at swimming.
I enjoyed the routine – I would go swimming every day before work at 6.30 for an hour. I had put time in for me and accomplished something before work and could get on with my day. That habit has stuck with me. I got addicted to the peace and quiet, and the conscious routine.
‘I'm 20 stone now. I was 25 stone. My diabetes is more under control and that's brilliant. But my physical health, the knock on side effects of that, and the reduction in anxiety and the self-confidence and sense of self worth that comes with it is, is huge.’
‘I have gained so much – a sense of purpose, self-respect. And importantly, my diabetes is mostly under control. I still swim – it’s part of who I am now.’
‘I still have an incredibly intense job, but now I can deal with it. I've got a coping mechanism. My anxiety levels have gone from probably being 9 out of 10 to being a one out of 10, so it has helped my mental health a lot.'
"I loved updating my fundraising page with my mum after each swim to see how much I had left. I also got fitter and swimming felt easier the more I did it," Ezra.
My friend’s mum, Laura, passed away in 2023 who had type 1 diabetes. I love swimming, so I thought it would be really cool to do something I enjoy and help a good cause at the same time. Laura was always really kind and showed me no matter how old you are you can do anything. Some of my family members also have diabetes, both type 1 and type 2, so I wanted to help people learn more about it and share it at my school.
I didn’t realise how far 11 miles actually was! I learned that helping others makes you feel really good inside and that even kids can do things for others and their community. I signed up to remember Laura and to raise money for Diabetes UK, but as I kept going, I realised I was also helping lots of people learn more about diabetes. This year I am taking on 22 miles!
"I’m proud of my perseverance and dedication throughout. Each mile stone made me proud." Chloe
At first I felt like a fish out of water. With lane swimming, I wasn’t sure how I’d measure up to the other swimmers in the pool and I was unsure of which lane I belonged, that was very daunting. I started in the slow lane, took it steady until my confidence grew. When I felt capable of pushing myself to swim a bit faster, with more rhythm, I moved into the next lane.
Being overweight and having low self esteem at the beginning of the challenge made it difficult for me to feel confident getting a swim costume on again and being in a pool. But as time went on I felt healthier and my baby bump grew more prominent, I felt glowing by the end of the challenge, with only a few weeks left of pregnancy.
"Swimming made me feel great, it also gave me a chance to think about what Isla was going through and how lucky we are with all the developments they are making towards a cure for Type 1" Kirstin
I hoped that I would manage to reach my target of 22 miles and raise some money towards finding a cure for this awful disease. Coming close to the 22 miles my donations were much higher than I had ever dreamed of so I decided to keep swimming until the final date of the challenge. I managed to gain the 44 mile medal which my daughter wanted.
Swimming more made me feel great, it also gave me a chance to think about what Isla was going through and how lucky we are with all the developments they are making towards a cure for Type 1. It is a relentless disease, not an hour passes when we can forget about it.
"Ruby says she signed up to do swim22 to prove that type 1 diabetes will not stop her doing anything she sets her mind to." Rachael, Ruby’s mum
Ruby, 9 was determined to take on Swim22 and set out to swim 11 miles and to raise £100. This target was quickly blown out of the water and she managed to swim a whooping 26.5 miles and raise £5,271.50!
Rachael. Ruby's mum said 'Ruby being diagnosed at such a young age it is inspiring to see her turn that into such strength and dedication to help improve the lives of other people with diabetes.'
"I felt that if I could raise any funds towards research it would mean other families would not have to lose loved ones as we did." Denise
I think I learned the positive effects of swimming alone and setting my own goals. I wasn't relying on anybody to turn up for any sessions, I was my own person and this gave me a wholesome mental capacity really.
I would say go for it and go at your own pace. It's not about how fast you go - it's about setting your goal at a pace you are happy with. A quotation I printed off and had on the wall read "No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch!"
"With the Low Blood Sugar diet as well as the swimming, I lost 2 stone and was able to reverse my Diabetes to Pre-Diabetic", Lorraine
In December 2022 I was diagnosed with type 2 and they wanted to put me on Metformin, but I did not want to take medication if I did not need it. I decided to first try reversing it through diet and exercise. I was already swimming twice a week before work due to joint issues and when I got diagnosed and joined Diabetic UK, found out about the Swim22 and thought why not! It gave me something to focus on so I started swimming 4 times a week then increased it to 5 times a week once I started the challenge in March. I can swim 32 lengths (half a mile) in 20mins to 30mins. The more I swum my technique got and the faster I became.
With the Low Blood Sugar diet as well as the swimming, I lost 2 stone and was able to reverse my Diabetes to Pre-Diabetic. I am still swimming 5 days a week and have been able to keep the weight off.
I feel really proud that I completed the Challenge and raised over £400. I wore my Swim22 hat with pride. The benefits of swimming are fantastic. It does not matter how well or fast you can swim just do it; you will feel fabulous.
