A WOMAN who suffered a head injury in a freak accident on a tree swing will be marking the anniversary of the life- changing event by taking a dip in the freezing North Sea every day for a month.
Clare Jones, who lives near Alnwick in Northumberland, will be raising money for the Samaritans, who helped her through a particularly dark period of her recovery.
The 38-year-old said: “Before my accident, I led a full and busy life working more than 40 hours a week, going here, there and everywhere, usually on a whim, and making the most of every day.
Clare Jones, who suffered a head injury in a freak accident on a swing, will be doing a Dip a Day for a month in the North Sea to raise funds for the Samaritans
“Following almost two years of rehab, I returned to work, managing 12 hours per week, and struggling at that.
“Fast forward a little and I am currently unable to work due to a big setback in summer of 2020. My day-to-day life has completely changed.
“It has always been in my nature to step outside my comfort zone, face challenges, get the adrenaline rush and be the crazy one who says why not?
Clare said her accident happened when the branch of a tree holding a swing she was on snapped and fell on her head, on February 21 2018.
She said: “After the branch hit me on the top of the head I fell back and hit the back of my head on a tree stump, so it was a bit of a double whammy.
“I suffered concussion which left me with a brain injury. I am grateful, because it could have been much. But still it has completely changed me and changed my life.”
Clare Jones, who suffered a head injury in a freak accident on a swing, will be doing a Dip a Day for a month in the North Sea to raise funds for the Samaritans.
Clare added: “I got into sea swimming last year after lockdown with a local group and decided to challenge myself to do a dip a day in February, the month of the accident.
“It is going to be extremely difficult, not only because of the cold at this time of year, with bitter north easterly winds, sleet, hail, rain, but also the chill of the sea and guaranteed kick back of debilitating neuro fatigue that will follow.
“I cannot really do much because my cognitive ability has been impaired and I suffer greatly from neuro fatigue.
“When there’s too much sensory coming in, the brain shuts down and I get weak limbs and my arms go floppy and my head pain goes through the roof.
“My life at the minutes is doing sea swimming three times a week and that’s it.
"The dip a day is for myself so I can see if I can do it and how it is going to affect me. It’s also a two fingers up to what happened to me.
Clare Jones, who suffered a head injury in a freak accident on a swing, will be doing a Dip a Day for a month in the North Sea to raise funds for the Samaritans
“The reason I am doing it for the Samaritans is that I’ve had some really dark moments during my recovery and I reached out to them and spoke to them.
“It was just phone conversations, but they were brilliant. They are a great service and I just wanted to highlight that really - as well as how serious the effects of a concussion can be .”
Clare swims with the Alnwick and Amble District Open Water Swimmers will be taking her dip at Low Newton.
She added: “If for any reason weather intervenes and I am, for safety reasons, unable to dip on a day, I will add this on to the challenge."
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