Karen's channel challenge

A member of staff at Addenbrooke's is to swim the English Channel.
Karen Houghton, Benefit Advisor in the hospital's Human Resources team, begins her challenge on Monday 15 September. Her swim will raise money for spinal injury charity, Aspire.

Karen won't have to dip into the freezing waters off the South Coast; instead she'll be swimming the distance in the more comfortable surroundings of an indoor pool at the Frank Lee Centre – a sport and social club based at the hospital.

She will need to swim 22 miles – that's 1,416 lengths of the 25 metre pool. Karen, from Cambridge, plans to swim for an hour six days out of every seven. She should complete the mileage in about three weeks.

Karen, 35, said: “I think Aspire are doing wonderful things to enable people who have suffered injuries to live their lives as independently as they can. Swimming is something I have always loved to do and feel privileged that I have the ability to keep fit and lead an active life without it being hindered by severe injuries.  This means only a little effort is needed from me to help raise money for a great cause."

To sponsor Karen, visit www.justgiving.com/karenhoughton2