Woman to swim 1,000 days for husband with cancer

Ruth Hitchcock started swimming daily last October after her husband was diagnosed with a rare cancer

A woman in Cornwall who completed a year of swimming to raise awareness of a rare cancer has decided to extend her challenge to 1,000 days.

Ruth Hitchcock started swimming daily on 9 October 2023 after her husband was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer earlier that year.

She invited people around the world to take part in the "daily dip for Dave", and has since raised more than £16,000 for charity, finishing her 365th swim to the applause of more than 100 others at Gyllyngvase beach, Falmouth, on Saturday.

Her husband Dave Hitchcock said he was "not surprised" by her decision "because she's driven by this cause".

'Proud and amazed'

After returning to land on Saturday, she told BBC Radio Cornwall that it was "a memorable day".

She said: "I turned around when I was in the water to look at the wave of people and it left me in floods of tears.

More than 100 people turned out to Gyllyngvase beach to support Ruth's 365th swim

"It meant the world to me... a memorable day I'll never forget.

"It's 700 and something to go now, we'll keep going for 1,000 [daily swims]."

Mr Hitchcock, who inspired the challenge, said: "I'm so proud and amazed by what she's doing."

"We don't know the majority of the people who have come to support her and it's just incredible."

Dave Hitchcock's cancer diagnosis inspired Ruth's daily swimming challenge

When asked what his reaction was to Ruth's new goal, he said: "I'm not surprised."

"I knew she had something up her sleeve and she's got the bit between her teeth because she's driven by this cause.

"The people she's met have been great and so supportive, and the ladies she swims with just pick her up when she has a down day in ways that I can't."

Mrs Hitchcock, who was a finalist in BBC Cornwall's Make a Difference awards last month, said that swimming every day was not easy, especially during the winter months.