Marathon ‘Swim For Jane’ - 41-mile open water swim - takes place to raise vital funds for Hope Against Cancer

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 21 June 2022

Four incredible Leicester people are to attempting to swim the whole way around the coast of Jersey in under 12 hours in memory of their coach’s wife, Jane Lewis, who was a patient at Leicester’s ‘Hope Cancer Trials Centre’.

Keith Lewis, a professional swimming coach, has assembled and mentored a team of swimmers, each with a personal connection to Jane, to take on this epic relay. They’re ready and waiting for the first window in the weather between June 28th and July 2nd.

The motivation for this challenge comes in two forms: the first is in memory of the remarkable life of Jane, a woman who managed marathons, ‘Iron Man’ events and a swim across Loch Ness while in Stage 4 cancer; the second is to raise a target of £10k+ to support the work of the Cancer Trials Centre
that did so much for her.

Jane Lewis could never speak too highly of the Hope Cancer Trials Centre. A partnership primarily between Hope Against Cancer, Leicester University and Leicester Hospitals, the Centre gives cutting edge support and trials innovative treatments for cancer patients from across Leicestershire and
Rutland, helping put Leicester at the forefront of cancer research in the UK. Seven months after starting treatment at the Hope Centre, Jane was free of cancer and looking forward to recovering to full health, only to pass away from a Subdural Hematoma just hours before a routine tooth extraction
in February 2019.

According to Keith:

“Jane wanted always wanted to find a way of giving back to Hope Against Cancer, the cause closest to her heart. Thanks to the COVID pandemic this is our earliest possibility to do just that: this is a tough mental and physical challenge but with Jane in our hearts, anything is possible.
She may not be able to be personally involved but her legacy lives on.”

The team are:

• • Keith Lewis - Husband of Jane. Owner of The Swim Shed. Alongside Jane, always passionate about helping others achieve their sporting dreams. He participates in and coaches Ironman triathlons and swims long-distance open water.
• • Jackie Brandon - Connected to Jane through The Swim Shed and has been inspired to swim in cold water and undertake a number of long-distance non-wetsuit swims. including the length of lake Windermere.
• • Jo Wright - Jo has been a friend of Jane and Keith for the past decade since she first rocked up to The Swim Shed. She was an ex-club swimmer who has gone on to complete numerous Ironman triathlons and one water swimming events. She also coaches with Keith.
• • Rosie Foden – a former GB swimmer and all-round good egg, Rosie has been associated with The Swim Shed for a number of years and coaches with Keith.
• • Dr. Chris Threthewey - Connected to Jane through the Hope Clinic, Chris’s first swimming challenge was to swim the Channel in the year Jane passed. During a tough section of that swim, he stopped momentarily and quoted a ‘Janeism’: ‘You can do anything for a day’ - and he did.

The team have opened a ‘JustGiving’ fundraising page with the goal of raising £10,000. You can learn more about their progress and make donations at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/JerseySwimForJane.

To find out more about Hope Against Cancer and the work they do, please visit: https://www.hopeagainstcancer.org.uk/

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