‘We felt like dad was gone long before he died’
Daughter’s swim challenge in dad’s memory
A lifeguard took on a marathon swimming challenge in honour of her dad who died from a brain tumour.
Samantha Arscott, of South Bank, Staplehurst, did an average of 60 lengths or 1,500 metres a day, for the whole of February – totalling 26 miles.
She was inspired by her truck driver dad Clive Singleton who died in January 2017 aged 57. The boatsman from Cornwall was diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM) two years before after experiencing “a bad headache he could not shake” and a pain on the side of his head. Samantha said: “Brain tumours are awful because they really chip away at who a person is. Their personality slips away completely.
“We felt like dad was gone long before he passed away.”
A GBM is an aggressive and incurable tumour which can develop on the brain or spinal cord. They are fast-growing and
one of the more common types of cancerous brain tumours in adults.
Samantha took on the challenge to raise money for the charity Brain Tumour Research. The 30-year-old added: “Not enough is known about brain tumours and research into them is severely underfunded, which is why I support Brain Tumour Research.”
Inevitably, there were some days when she was not be able to swim so she doubled up on other days to make sure she completed it. “I only came up with this idea in January, so I have dived straight in, so to speak,” she said. “I also picked the shortest month to complete this, but I do love a challenge.”
The executive assistant at recruitment firm Odgers Interim has raised more than £2,000. Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Clive’s sad story is a stark reminder of the fact brain tumours kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer.
“They also kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet, historically, just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. We are determined to change that but it is only by working together we will be able to improve treatment options for patients and, ultimately, find a cure. We are really grateful to Samantha for taking on this marathon swim challenge for us. Together we will find a cure.” To donate, visit tinyurl.com/ samanthaarscott