08 Feature / My story


Swimming together to remember Gordon


This April, Grace Johnson and her mum Sue will be joining thousands of other swimmers at local pools across the UK to take on their Swimathon challenge, in support of Marie Curie. Here’s why they’re doing this challenge for the second time.


Gordon Johnson was a former Great Britain swimmer. Grace, his youngest daughter, remembers fondly his passion for swimming and the important role it played in her life growing up. “Dad had always loved swimming.


He coached as well. He took me to swimming lessons and taught me how to dive. It was something we did together.” In 2011, Gordon was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer but made a full recovery after treatment. However, when the cancer returned in May 2014, he was told it was terminal. Grace says: “Dad never let cancer change how he was. He didn’t want to stop doing anything – he even kept swimming because he wanted to do the same things. He was the bravest person I’ve ever met.”


Home sweet home Towards the end of 2014, Gordon became very poorly. With support from Marie Curie Nurses, Gordon fulfilled his wish of spending his final days at home, surrounded by his family. Grace says: “We were all there when he died – my mum, my brothers, me, my grandma, my aunt and my cousin. We didn’t want him to go on his own. “In his last few hours, he had to wear


an oxygen mask but he was still giving us the thumbs up, asking: ‘Why are you all looking so miserable?’ He was a happy person.”


Precious moments The care Marie Curie Nurses provided on that last night has stayed with Grace and the rest of her family. She recalls: “The nurses looked after


my dad and were friendly. They knew when the time had come and gave us space to say our goodbyes. “After my dad passed away, they sorted


everything and did not leave until we felt comfortable. I will never forget what they helped us through and we couldn’t have done it without them.”


MAKING A SPLASH: Gordon shared his love of swimming with his family


Swimming as a team Sue, Grace, her older brother Richard and three of their friends signed up for


their first Swimathon challenge in 2015, in memory of Gordon and the support he received from Marie Curie. Sue says: “I’m not a very strong swimmer so doing 2.5k was a real challenge for me. It was tough but I wanted to do it for Gordon. “In the end, our team of six completed


a total of 20km and we raised £1,000 for Marie Curie. I was the last one out of the pool but everyone kept cheering me on! “We all miss Gordon incredibly. Our


Swimathon challenge was a great way to remember him and raise money for a cause we really care about.”


Calling all swimmers! This year’s Swimathon is taking place from 27-29 April at over 600 pools across the UK. Now in its 31st year, Swimathon 2018 will be raising money for Marie Curie and Cancer Research UK. If you can swim, why not take on


your own Swimathon challenge? You can choose to swim 400m, 1.5k, 2.5k or 5k as an individual or 1.5k or 5k as part of a team at a participating pool near you.


Sign up now at swimathon.org and use the discount code ‘MarieCurie25’ to get 25% off your registration fee.


Marie Curie People


TOGETHER:


Gordon with his daughter Grace


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