A former Irish Olympian is swimming the equivalent of a 42-kilometre marathon today to raise awareness of asthma and to raise money for Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin.
Mr Nick O'Hare, an asthmatic, began the swim this morning and will finish tonight. He hopes to earn about €40,000, which will be used to help build a new Cystic Fibrosis/Respiratory unit in the Dublin hospital.
He also hopes the event will raise awareness about the benefits of controlling asthma symptoms.
"The occurrence of asthma in Ireland among both adults and children is one of the highest in the world," Dr Gerard Canny, Consultant Respiratory Physician at Crumlin Hospital, adding that Mr O'Hare's swim proved that medication could allow athletes to compete at high levels.