'I never gave myself the option to quit': London swimmer crosses Lake Ontario to help save lives
Jillian Best was back on dry land Thursday, but she still hadn’t come down from the high of what she accomplished on the water.
“Positively overwhelmed with the support and the love that has come my way,” said the marathon swimmer and organ transplant recipent.
After setting out at 11 p.m. Tuesday from Niagara, the 34-year-old reached Marilyn Bell Park in Toronto just before six o'clock Wednesday evening, swimming 52 kilometres across Lake Ontario.
She told media and the crowd of supporters she never had any doubts. “I never gave myself the option to quit. I told myself I wasn't going to stop for any reason of my own, but everybody helping me along the way was really helpful.”
On the boat, but at her side every stroke of the way, was her husband Zack Best.
“It was amazing. I’m proud to be there, and proud of her. It was a great camaraderie we had with all 13 people on the boat. Everybody contributed, and it was an amazing experience.”
Best made the swim to raise money for her foundation, ‘Move for Life,’ which is dedicated to reducing the wait list for organ transplants.
Her mother is a two-time liver transplant survivor, and she herself had a liver transplant in 2015. She said not only did having a transplant make her a better person, but it also gave her the mental toughness to complete her marathon swim.
“There were some struggles and moments when I thought I may not survive, but I overcame that. Obviously not alone, I needed a transplant to do that, but...I know that I’ve gone through rough times for much longer than 18 hours. And so I kept that in mind. It was just one day.”
The swim has so far raised nearly $130,000 between sponsors and an online crowd-funding campaign. All funds will go towards the purchase of new equipment for the London Health Sciences Centre Multi-transplant Organ Unit.
“I’ve seen it where people don’t make it to have the transplant,” said Best. “They die while they’re waiting because there’s such a shortage. So my passion is towards finding a way to reduce the waits for transplants, so that every one in need of an organ transplant can receive one.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.