Whether in the pool or ocean - when itB次元官网网址檚 not too cold - Nathaniel Stoffelsma hits the water every day with one goal in mind: to swim 1000 metres.
The North Saanich father has been swimming the distance daily since his Aug. 2 birthday with the goal of reaching 365 kilometres by his next. ThatB次元官网网址檚 approximately equivalent to the distance of three round-trip ferry rides between Victoria and Vancouver.
Stoffelsma is swimming to raise $30,000 for charity, as well as honour his son AlexB次元官网网址檚 courageous battle against cancer. Alex, whoB次元官网网址檚 now cancer-free, was diagnosed six years ago with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a type of blood cancer that starts in bone marrow.
During a road trip to Nelson last year, Stoffelsma decided to give back to others in need because of the overwhelming support he and his family received throughout his sonB次元官网网址檚 intensive chemotherapy and more than five months in hospital.
B次元官网网址淎long the way, a lot of people have been very generous donating to the charities that we want to support,B次元官网网址� he told Black Press Media. B次元官网网址淪o I just thought that I wanted to turn it around and give back to charities that other people might want to support. ThereB次元官网网址檚 so many causes in need of support out there.B次元官网网址�
Stoffelsma said he wanted to do something healthy and that he could commit to doing every day without injuring himself. As a former triathlete, swimming was a perfect choice. He started an online fundraiser on his birthday and began racking up kilometres in the water.
Stoffelsma admitted to having missed a few days of swimming, but said he always makes it up later.
More than 180 days into his challenge and Stoffelsma has swam a distance of 230 kilometres since he started.
HeB次元官网网址檚 currently on track to surpass his original 365-km goal by August and has raised about $3,100 via his campaign, which heB次元官网网址檚 matched for a total donation of about $5,400 to BC ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital so far.
Stoffelsma, however, said heB次元官网网址檒l match any donations to the charity of the donorB次元官网网址檚 choosing.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not trying to come off across like B次元官网网址楲ook at me.B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 just trying to do a good thing.B次元官网网址�
To learn more about the fundraising campaign, visit StoffelsmaB次元官网网址檚 page.
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