A new World Record could be set in Leicester today, as a paralysed scuba diver attempts a five kilometre dive without surfacing, at a centre in the city.
Dan Metcalfe is attempting the World Record later today (Wednesday, September 28) at Leicester’s Stoney Cove Dive Centre, to increase awareness of scuba diving with a disability.
Through completing the challenge, he is also aiming to raise money for three worthy charities; Magpas Air Ambulance, The Scuba Trust and Stoney Cove Dive Centre.
In order to complete the record breaking 5k dive, Dan will be swimming for approximately six hours at a depth of six to eight metres.
As he can’t move his lower body, he will be swimming solely with his arms.
Dan, who lives in Grantham, was paralysed in a motorcycle accident in June 2014. After fixation of his spine, he was left a T8 complete paraplegic (from the bellybutton down), so he has no core/trunk muscles or use of his legs.
After his time recovering in hospital, he developed a new passion for hand-cycling and progressed to 5th in the UK. Unfortunately in June 2018, he was involved in a second crash, when a car hit him while he was taking part in a 600 mile charity bike ride. This left him with a compression at C4 in his neck.
Despite these two life-changing accidents, Dan continues to take part in lots of charity events, trying to give back to those who have helped him over the years.
MAGPAS Air Ambulance attended the scene of Dan’s motorcycle accident in 2014.
“Without them, it is unlikely that I would be alive today,” he said on his reasons for wanting to raise money for the organisation.
“The service operates 24/7 and since 1971, they have treated over 60,000 patients. MAGPAS Air Ambulance is not a state-funded service and relies on generous public donations to continue saving lives.
Dan cites Scuba Diving as his “second life saver,” hence the reason why he is raising money for the Scuba Diving Trust – a charity which supports disabled individuals to learn to dive.
“After my second accident, I had to deal with mental health issues such as PTSD and depression. Without scuba diving in my life, I don’t like to think what might of happened to me, but I know that, after MAGPAS, was my second life saver,” he added.
Finally, Dan says that he is raising money for Stoney Cove Dive Centre, in order to help improve the facilities for disabled scuba divers like himself.
“Stoney Cove is an awesome place to train and dive at all scuba diving levels. The facilities are brilliant for able bodied people, however they’re not so great for their disabled buddies,” he said.
He is hoping to raise £5,000 as a result of his Scuba Diving efforts.
To find out more, or to donate to the cause, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/wheelsdan?fbclid=IwAR3NuvGJZl9H3AGMBMZGPJ4i0Tnn1aKU4SrenvsV_bAAzvilrzUZBdBX24A
