Mammoth swim for mental health

“I’ve set myself this goal of swimming across the English Channel because I am particularly drawn to the idea of using this personal milestone to make a positive impact on youth mental health,” Kristen said.

In crossing the channel, Kristen hopes to raise $5,000 for three Alfred Health-operated headspace centres – Elsternwick, Bentleigh and Syndal.

“My family went through some tough times during and after lockdown, and headspace worked with my kids – both individually and with the family as a whole – to process the hurt and find a way to move forward together more harmoniously,” said Kristen.

In order to qualify for an attempt, she first had to prove that she could swim for at least six hours in 15-degree waters, managing an impressive 8 hours and 40 minutes at Half Moon Bay in Sandringham.

“It really helped with my cold-water confidence,” said Kristen. “My strategy of gaining 10 kilograms has paid off big time.”

Kristen will begin her 34km journey next week, and you can make a donation or follow her fundraising progress here: https://bit.ly/4dvatNn