Jade Gregory, a 10-year-old swimmer from Keperra, has made a remarkable splash, swimming an incredible 35 kilometres and raising over $3,600 for youth mental health.
Jade Gregory, a student at Ferny Hills State School, completed the astounding distance throughout March as part of the national Laps for Life fundraiser. This annual event supports ReachOut Australia, raising vital funds and awareness to help young people facing mental health challenges and prevent youth suicide.
More than 10,000 swimmers participated this year, but Jade’s exceptional effort placed her among the top 50 fundraisers across Australia, finishing in 48th place.
A Big Goal and Strong Motivation
Jade, who has been taking swimming lessons at Ferny Hills Pool since she was two years old and now trains with a squad, explained that she wanted to help raise money and awareness for mental health, stating that she loves swimming and believes it’s important because “too many people suffer, and if it goes untreated, something worse could happen.”
She initially set a smaller goal for herself, but as she continued to swim, her confidence grew. She realised she could swim much further than her original aim and decided to see how far she could go, even completing 50 laps in a single session on her second-last day.
Overcoming Challenges
Her commitment was tested when the pool had to close for a week due to Cyclone Alfred, disrupting her plans. However, Jade’s motivation remained strong. She acknowledged that raising money was difficult at the start but knew she was helping people and making others aware of the issue, which made her want to keep going. Her final tally of 700 laps of the 50-metre pool is a significant achievement for someone her age.
Community Support and Future Dreams
Jade, a two-time age champion at her school who also represented Ferny Hills State School at the district level this year, mentioned that her dad was her “biggest cheerleader.”
Looking ahead, she has expressed a desire to participate in Laps for Life again next year because she enjoyed the swimming and wants to continue helping others. Jade also shared her big swimming dreams, hoping to one day swim at the Olympics and perhaps at a beautiful beach in Hawaii.
Published Date 09-Jun-2025
