Getting along swimmingly for the sake of sick kids
● When Durban couple Lynn and Lawrence Schroder cross the finish line at this year’s Midmar Mile — the biggest open-water swimming event in the world — it will be their 41st event together.
Lynn, 74, a retired teacher and swimming instructor, and her husband, 64, who have been married for 39 years, will swim eight miles — on Saturday and Sunday — in support of the #Swim4Sadie campaign by Rare Diseases SA, which raises funds for children with rare diseases.
The Schroder couple have notched up 61 crossings each, swimming on Saturday and Sunday.
“This year our swim is much more meaningful because the money that we will raise will go towards supporting children with rare diseases.”
Lynn said the cause was very close to her heart because three children in her swimming school had rare diseases. She said their pain had been greatly relieved with water therapy.
“One of them has brittle bone disease and is currently is hospital. Last year when I completed my 60th crossing, she was so excited and wanted to know if I had received my medal.
“When I got home, we had a little ceremony after our lesson and I presented the medal to her.”
The former high school teacher has been teaching swimming since she was 17.
The couple will embark on a cycle tour in Croatia in May.
“Life is good if you keep fit,” said Lynn. The 46th staging of the open-water swimming contest at the Midmar Dam in Howick has attracted almost 12,000 swimmers.
The youngest — both six — are Benjamin Brooke and Rachel Rodd. The oldest man is Mike Arbuthnot, 86, who swam the first race in 1974, and the oldest woman is Annelore Kienhofer, 85.