A determined cancer fundraiser and open water swimmer jumped into Loch Linnhe on her birthday to raise funds for Stand up To Cancer.
Sharon Smith was joined by her pals from the Loch Linnhe Loonies open swimming group and the Nevis Triathlon Club as part of a month-long challenge to swim outdoors in the Scottish Highlands every day this autumn.
She is also the manager of Fort William’s Cancer Research UK shop and has raised more than £500 so far and is taking part in memory of her cousin, Laura Barr.
They were born within months of each other and grew up together, sharing the family parties and Christmas celebrations.
Sharon was heartbroken when Laura died aged just 51 on March 14, 2018 after four years of treatment for a brain tumour.
The 56-year-old is now backing Stand Up To Cancer, from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4, which raises funds to take developments from the lab and accelerate them into new tests and treatments,
Sharon has also completed the London Marathon for charity and hopes her story will inspire Scots to unite against the disease, with around 34,600 people diagnosed with cancer in Scotland every year.
“I’ll do everything I can to make the lives of people with cancer better,” she said.
“In my job I have the privilege of meeting many people who have been affected by cancer and I have seen first-hand the devastating impact the disease can have.
“I swim in Loch Linnhe either first thing in the morning or after work every day. It can be chilly but it’s a great boost to mental health and it helps me sleep better at night too.
“I’ve been lucky with this challenge to have lots of friends supporting me by taking a dip too. I’d like to thank members of the Nevis Triathlon Club who gave me indoor pool swimming lessons which helped with confidence.
Sharon added: “I stand up to cancer for family, for friends, for my customers, for every single person going through cancer and for people I’ve lost.”
Sharon’s cousin worked as a busy staff nurse in the dermatology department at Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital in spring 2014 when she first became unwell.
Regular bouts of feeling sick, exhausted and dizzy meant Laura had to go on sick leave and a MRI scan revealed that she had a mass on her brain.
On October 9, Laura endured a two-hour operation to remove as much of the tumour as possible, with tests showing it was cancerous.
Laura had to learn to walk and talk again in the months which followed and endured 33 sessions of radiotherapy at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre to shrink the tumour further.
She raised £5,000 by taking part in Race for Life Glasgow with Sharon and friends in May 2016, but the tumour started growing again the next year and in March 2018, Laura died, surrounded by her family.
Since 2012, Stand Up To Cancer has raised more than £93 million, funding 64 clinical trials and research projects involving more than 13,000 cancer patients.
Cancer Research UK spokeswoman for Scotland, Lisa Adams, said: “Thanks to our supporters, our researchers are working tirelessly to help more people with cancer survive.
“Whether, it’s choosing to donate, fundraise, or tackle the ups and downs of our squats challenge, if thousands of us take a stand we’ll speed up the progress of vital research.”
The Stand Up To Cancer campaign is culminating in a night of live television on Friday November 3.