Swim like a Fitz

West Country family of six to swim the Channel for charity Two generations of the FitzHenry family are joining forces to swim the Channel at the end of July in aid of charities which are particularly dear to them. This is a first for all of them and a real challenge as some of them normally only swim when on holiday.Paul and his brothers David and Neal are joined by Paul's sons Lee, Daniel and Craig in this effort which they hope will raise a great deal of money for their chosen Charities. David told his brothers that they had either caught the sun or had too much Devon cider when they told him of the idea of swimming the channel for charity. David takes to the water when on holiday and then only if it's warm. He with his wife Lesley came into contact with 'ELF' Exeter Leukaemia fund when Leslie's mother was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia and was treated at the Haematology unit at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. " When Ann was taken ill we were all devastated; now as she is slowly recovering we wanted to do something to say thank you for the wonderful treatment she has received and we immediately thought of ELF". Neal along with the whole FitzHenry family were shaken when they heard the news that his favourite Aunt Shelagh went to see her doctor when she returned home to Adelaide from her last trip to England, as she wasn't feeling herself. I'll let Neal tell you what happened and what prompted him in his choice of charity when they decided to do the Channel swim "ALS is something none of us had heard of : I now know it is a form of Motor Neurone Disease which is a hideous disease which is progressively disabling. Aunt Shelagh has even been to China for Stem Cell treatment to try to slow the effects of the disease. Supporting the MND Association is one way as a family we can do something to help find new treatments and maybe one day a cure." Paul told me that his choice of charity "is the one Charity that my mother-in-law supported more than any other, before she sadly passed away. 'Rays of Sunshine' is the organisation that tries to grant terminally ill children their life long wish." Paul's choice is also the main choice of his children who are Swimming the Channel for Charity along with him and their uncles. Lee speaking for Daniel and Craig as well said that "all three of the charities have effected not only their family but also friends of theirs either directly or indirectly. We are also looking forward to showing the 'oldies' how it should be done, and expect to swim twice as many miles during our time in the water, as Dad and our uncles". Speaking as a family they said that— "we all face challenges in our lives but for most people the challenges pale in to insignificance when compared to those faced by sufferers of Motor Neurone Disease, Leukaemia or terminally ill children and their parents". The swimmers will all face their own challenges during the swim, the cold, the knowledge that they are many miles from land, boredom and disorientation, exhaustion especially for the holiday swimmers. For one it will be the fear of sharks which are sometimes seen during a swim, for another jellyfish. They are united in saying that all of it is worth it if they can raise thousands of pounds for the Charities through sponsorship.