On September 21, Tasmanian local Ivan Cunningham completed his 1,000th consecutive ocean swim at Taroona Beach, joined by close friends and family in support of pancreatic cancer awareness and fundraising.
Cheering him on from the beach was his long-time friend Chris Wedd, who was diagnosed with stage IV inoperable pancreatic cancer with metastases in his lungs, five years ago.
Chris and Ivan’s friendship spans more than three decades, beginning when Chris coached Ivan in the pool. That bond has become the driving force behind this milestone swim.
The other side of it are the people that surround me that, yeah, keep me looking forward to another day.
- Chris in conversation with Win News Tasmania
Ivan and Chris, alongside their close friends and family, gearing up for the 1000th swim.
For Ivan, the swim was a way to give back.
Chris told me, you know, five years ago, that he saw a friend of ours who’s a doctor, and then he said, Go and enjoy your life, because you’ve got three months to live... so we’re trying to get all the old band back together, as Chris and I used to call it, all the old swimmers, to come out of retirement and come out and do these swims and to make a difference.
- Ivan
The icy waters, dipping as low as eight degrees, didn’t deter the crowd of swimmers who joined Ivan in support of Chris and the cause. For many, it was about more than the swim itself. It was a chance to stand with Chris, honour Ivan’s commitment, and raise awareness for a disease that takes 75 lives each week in Australia.
Chris, Ivan and friends all smiles after the milestone swim.
“It was just something that Ivan and I wanted to do, and then you find yourself thrown into the limelight, and I guess you’d take up the challenge and try to spread the word”
- Chris
This milestone swim not only marked a remarkable achievement for Ivan but also shone a light on Chris’s journey, reminding us how friendship and community can carry people further than they ever imagined.
Chris and Ivan post swim celebrations.
Watch the full segment by Elsie Papworth, Win News Tasmania, here.
