Willow swims for CLEFT

8 year old Willow completed a 2,000m swim in just 1 hour and 15 minutes, beating her expected time and making her friends and family incredibly proud. Willow is not a competitive swimmer but took the challenge to swim 2k and raise money for CLEFT by herself. She had great support from her school in London and even led a school assembly to share her challenge with the other pupils.

Willow explained the reason for her swim:

“I was born with cleft lip and palate and was fortunate enough to be operated on by Great Ormond Street Hospital's most eminent reconstructive cleft surgeon, Mr Brian Sommerlad.... I was Mr Sommerlad's last NHS patient here in the UK before he retired from GOSH.

He still continues to fly out to developing countries such as Bangladesh and Uganda to train doctors there in these complicated operation techniques.I would like to raise as much money as I can to help Mr Sommerlad and CLEFT save as many babies and children in these countries as possible.”

After setting up an online fundraising page, she managed to raise a very impressive £12,856.90 for CLEFT. Well done Willow!