365 swimmer Heather Turner & Facial Palsy.

I am going to swim twice a week in the sea to help to raise money for Facial Palsy UK, to give support to others newly diagnosed and to raise awareness of how this condition affects you. This diagnosis can have a devastating impact on your life and can prevent you from living it fully. I would like to inspire people to get out in nature and have fun regardless of the negatives.

I have had my facial palsy for over 24 years, and I am totally happy with it now, although I have struggled enormously with it. Mine was a result of having a brain tumour removed, this totally devastated me, and I had to relearn how to do everything again, walking, talking, eating etc. I am so, so lucky to have recovered as well as I have and would love to inspire others, one life, live it! I am now a proud Wonky, Wobbly Woman! So many people I talk to have stopped going out or living because of the negative attitudes of others and the general loss of self.

Facial Palsy UK work tirelessly to raise awareness, prevent the stigma, educate Doctors, and lend support. Cold water swimming has helped me enormously with the mental side of things, I focused so much on getting my body right after surgery. Then I started to feel like that was it, then the first time I went in the sea in the winter, it took me 5 goes to get in and I did not think I could do it! But now I have overcome that, and I love getting in, our bodies are amazing as to what they can do and overcome!

You will never regret going in, even if sometimes you really do not feel like it, those are the most important days! Xx