THERE are not many around who fancy the idea of a morning dip in the Swan River at the height of winter, and Jason Clark is probably one of them.
But that did not stop the Cockburn resident from braving the icy water as one of 40 swimmers in the Dare to Care Swim for Conquer Cystic Fibrosis.
The 1km swim raised more than $29,000 for research into the life-shortening genetic disease, which Mr Clark has a close personal connection to.
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READ NOW“The water is so cold that it takes your breath away but that’s a reminder of what people with cystic fibrosis endure constantly in the latter stages of the disease,” Mr Clark said.
“Our friend’s son has the disease, so I use them as my inspiration.
“When I found it tough, I’d think of all he goes through and hope that further research will slow down the disease.”
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease which primarily affects the lungs and digestive system, causing thick mucus to build up in organs which clogs important airways.
“The medicines are improving greatly but there is still so much work that needs to be done towards making CF manageable or curable,” Mr Clark said.
“There are 3300 Australians with CF whose lives depend on it.”