Paraplegic James Wood to swim Channel
“Life does not stop because you are paralysed and there is no better example of that than doing this.” says 39 year old paraplegic James Wood from Northampton who is hoping to become the first European with a fractured spine to swim across the English Channel.
James has taken a six month sabbatical from his job as a lawyer to concentrate on the challenge which he is aiming to attempt in September this year.
He suffered a compound fracture to his spine after he fell off his motorbike and landed awkwardly on a wall in Devon in 1990. James now has no feeling from his chest down.
All swimmers are at risk to jellyfish stings, sea sickness, passing boats and swelling of the throat from swallowing salt water however James’ spinal injury makes him particularly at risk to hypothermia. People with spinal cord injuries can struggle to control their body temperature.
James plans to swim across the Channel in under 15 hours. His training programme involving swimming five days a week was created by Olympic sport scientist Professor Greg Whyte.
James says “It is a personal challenge and I want to laugh in the face of my disability. I hope that other people with my condition can draw inspiration from this.”
Boyes Turner are sponsoring James who is raising money for the Spinal Injuries Association, a charity set up by people with spinal cord injury to help and support both the individuals and their families adjust to life with spinal cord injury.
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