Salisbury breast cancer survivor doing cold water swims for Stars Appeal
Jo Bott is also doing them in fancy dress!
It's been 10 years since Salisbury woman Joanna Bott was diagnosed with breast cancer.
In honour of this, Jo is now doing something to raise bit of money for the charity that helped her and others in a similar position.
In 2016 a dedicated Breast Unit opened at Salisbury District Hospital, which the Stars Appeal invited Jo to help build.
So in order to help continue raising money for them, she is taking one her new hobbies and turning it into a fundraising challenge.
As a way of keeping active, helping with her nerve pain and giving her mental health a boost, Jo has taken up cold water swimming.
So she is taking on 10 cold water swims in fancy dress, all for the Stars Appeal.
Jo's friend Wendy Lucas is also doing the swims with her.
Jo told Greatest Hits Radio:
"I decided to start cold water swimming last summer when it was considerably warmer as I had heard so much about the physical mental health benefits it has, I'd lost a lot of motivation for other sports that I do and I wanted to try something different.
February sees me reach 10 years since my breast cancer diagnosis and it was after my wonderful friend Wendy invited me to swim for national tutu day that the fundraising idea for 10 fancy dress swims was born. I've got a few favourite spots in the local rivers but I am looking forward to be able to go back down to the coast and swim in the sea as you do get a few odd looks from some people, particularly while in fancy dress but I'm hoping it puts a smile on somebody's face and brightens their day.
I was fortunate to be asked to help design the Stars Appeal funded breast care unit at the hospital and I know first hand what a difference the charity makes to both patients and staff alike.
My advice to anyone wanting to try cold water swimming is certainly to wait until the summer months now, it's taken me five months to be able to properly acclimatise to the cold water, make sure you do your research, understand the risks and the relevant safety precautions before you go, we never go alone and always risk assess before hand and I just find it amazing being at one with nature, you get to see everything from a different perspective and I get a real sense of achievement and a real kick of endorphins every time I go and it's also really helped with my pain conditions as well."
So far, Jo has raised £700 and you can donate to her cause by visiting her Just Giving page.