Shandelle Goretski

For Mom & For Me

💙 10 Kilometres for Mom 💙

This July, I've signed up for the Heart & Stroke Swim Challenge and committed to swimming 10 kilometres—approximately 400 laps in our apartment's saltwater pool.

I'm doing this in memory and in honour of my mom, Nancy, who passed away in November following complications from multiple right-side brain stem strokes.

Like many people, losing a parent changes you. It forces you to think about what matters most, the time we have, and the legacy we leave behind. For me, it was also a wake-up call about my own health.

This challenge is about more than swimming laps. Every lap is for Mom, but it's also a promise to myself.

A promise to keep working toward the health goals I set after her passing.
A promise to take better care of my body.
A promise to be here for the moments that matter.

I want more years with my children.
I want to watch my grandchildren grow up.
I want to live a long, healthy, active life filled with family, service, and purpose.

As part of this challenge, I'm hoping to raise at least $500 for the Heart & Stroke Foundation—and hopefully even more with your support. The research, education, advocacy, and support they provide helps families facing the same devastating reality that ours did.

If you're able to donate, share, or simply cheer me on, I would be incredibly grateful. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps make a difference.

Some days 400 laps will feel easy. Other days it won't. But grief taught me that hard things are worth doing when they matter.

So this July, I'll keep showing up, one lap at a time.

For Mom. ❤️
For my health.
For my children and grandchildren.
And for the future I want to build.

Thank you for your support.

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