This September, 50-year-old Leanne Body from Chelmsford will take on the Super Six at Swim Serpentine - a 6-mile open-water challenge - to raise funds for CLEFT.
The charity are dedicated to improving treatment and outcomes for people born with cleft lip and palate worldwide.
Leanne’s son’s best friend, Noah, was born with a cleft palate that went undiagnosed for two and a half years due to a thin layer of skin masking the condition. He underwent two surgeries to repair the palate, and his parents learned sign language and used flash cards to support his communication. Noah is now 16 years old and, like many other teenagers, is waiting for his GCSE results this summer. On top of the surgery, he also received years of intensive speech therapy and at times felt frustrated to be going through something that his classmates couldn’t comprehend.
Having experienced the challenges of cleft conditions firsthand, Noah’s mother, Mel Baldwin, now works for CLEFT and has travelled to Bangladesh to see firsthand the challenges that doctors in other countries face. Leanne wanted to support children who need treatment abroad, so she has set herself a fundraising target of £1,000 for CLEFT, and is well on her way, having fundraised over £600.
The charity works with surgeons in lower-income countries to develop cleft centres. They focus on long-term collaboration rather than short-term surgical missions, so that children can access the same standard of care as in the UK.
“Children in other countries may be malnourished, and unable to talk well or hear properly. Often, they will be social outcasts. However, CLEFT trains local surgeons to perform the operations themselves and provide the follow up support required so that knowledge stays within the country.”
Leanne is aiming to complete the 6-mile swim in 3 hours and 15 minutes.
While it’s her longest distance yet, she’s no stranger to open water - having grown up swimming competitively with her sister as part of a local club. She rekindled her love of swimming 15 years ago when her sister suggested they take on Great Swim London together, and last year, she celebrated her 50th birthday with a swimming holiday in Croatia, which inspired her to take on the Super Six challenge.
“It’s been a personal challenge to work up to that distance”, she says. “It’s not just getting into the pool. I’ve had to work out how to fuel properly. I’ve been doing strength sessions in the gym. Yoga and Pilates as well. I’ve set myself a proper training regime, which I’ve never really done for an event before.”
Being active is a big part of Leanne’s life. She became a Muay Thai instructor last year, and has recently discovered a love for the gym.
“I used to hate the gym - just the thought of walking into that kind of environment made me nervous. But now, my sets and weights keep going up, and my shoulder, which I’ve had some problems with, is stronger. It’s been such an eye-opener. I can’t help but think… why didn’t I start this sooner?”
Six miles is the longest distance you can complete at Swim Serpentine and one Leanne says you don’t take on lightly.
“I love the open water, it's my happy place, but if it hadn’t been for CLEFT, I wouldn’t be doing this. It’s not a challenge you take lightly, but I’m grateful they’ve given me this opportunity because it has been great in so many different ways.”
