Annual Charity Swim For Bowel Cancer Returns To West Wittering

Registrations now open for The Big Bathe taking place on Saturday, September 14 at West Wittering beach.

Sussex swimmers can now enter a charity event for Bowel Cancer UK and St Wilfrid’s Hospice: The Big Bathe. 

The Big Bathe is expected to welcome up to 180 swimmers at West Wittering beach and raise thousands of pounds for the two charities. 

There is a 750 metre or a 1,500-metre swim to choose from.  

Now in its third year, the annual swim has raised more than £140,000 in total with hundreds of swimmers taking part in July 2022 and September 2023.

The Big Bathe was the initiative of Wittering local Victoria Hall. She tragically passed away from bowel cancer in September 2022 at St Wilfrid’s Hospice aged 33.

Victoria’s plea before she died was to raise as much awareness of the disease as possible, and her family and friends put on the Big Bathe in her honour. 

Her sister Georgie Hall said it was important for her friends and family to continue her younger sister’s legacy.

“We can be sad she is no longer with us, or we can live twice as hard and do all the things Victoria would want us to do. We are urging everyone to swim for Victoria.

“Bowel cancer is on the rise and is now the second biggest cancer killer. Close to 3,000 new cases are diagnosed each year among young people like Victoria under the age of 50. If you have symptoms, like losing weight, tiredness or changes to your poo, you must get it checked out.”  

She said the swim was also an opportunity to give back to the Hospice.

“We will never forget the support St. Wilfrid’s provided Victoria but also to our family. The doctors and nurses did everything they could to make her comfortable.

“You don’t ever imagine you would take your 33-year-old sister to a hospice, and we wouldn’t wish it upon anyone, but St Wilfrid’s Hospice was a haven - quiet and beautiful, where the care is personalised and full of love.”

She died surrounded by her loved ones just four weeks after her wedding day on September 2, 2022 at St Wilfrid’s. Victoria was diagnosed with Stage 4 Bowel Cancer in March 2022. 

In West Sussex, more than 50,000 people will be diagnosed with bowel cancer at some point in our lifetimes. But for most people, bowel cancer is treatable when caught in the early stages. 

If you are a keen swimmer and want to take part, register via https://www.letsdothis.com/gb/e/the-big-bathe-for-bowel-cancer-191614.

Pre-registration is mandatory.

For those wishing to donate, the fundraising page is: https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/2328/the-big-bathe/