A WOKINGHAM woman has gone above and beyond in her mission to raise funds for My Cancer My Choices, a local charity providing complementary therapies to people with cancer.
Anne Thomas, a long-standing volunteer at the charity, set herself the ambitious goal of swimming 70 lengths, 70 times before her 70th birthday in June 2025—and has astonishingly completed her challenge three months ahead of schedule.
Anne, who hadn’t done serious swimming in over 30 years, took on the challenge at Wokingham’s Carnival Pool, in September 2024 with the hope of completing it by June 2025.
However, she has already covered 123km across 70 sessions—finishing on Monday.
She said: “I started the challenge without too much thought or planning, so initially, the early mornings and low temperatures were quite a shock to the system.
“What kept me going was not only the support I was receiving from family, friends, MCMC and the team at The Carnival Pool but also knowing how much the money I raised would help our amazing service users.
“My commitment never wavered, and I’ve exceeded even my own expectations.”
Anne has volunteered at Charvil-based charity My Cancer My Choices for the past seven years.
As a volunteer therapist and member of the People Committee, she has dedicated herself to supporting people living with cancer.
Her swim challenge set out to raise £1,800, and with her determination and the generosity of supporters, she is well on her way to smashing that target.
The charity’s team said: “Anne’s dedication, energy, and passion for supporting others is truly inspiring.
“We are beyond grateful for all that she does.”
Anne’s fundraising page is still open for donations.
To support her, visit: justgiving.com and search for ‘Anne’s swim before 70’
