Lee Quickmire drags in charity cash for Marie Curie Cancer Care (From York Press)

Lee Quickmire drags in charity cash for Marie Curie Cancer Care

10:30am Saturday 25th April 2009 in News By Nicola Fifield, Senior reporter

A CANCER charity has been given a £2,300 boost after this fearless fundraiser swallowed his pride to swim five kilometres dressed in drag.

Lee Quickmire, of Woodthorpe, York, completed the sponsored stunt wearing a woman’s swimming costume and a pink flowered cap.

After he tore a muscle in his right shoulder with 180 lengths out of a total of 200 lengths still to swim, the challenge became even more gruelling.

“I couldn’t rotate my right shoulder, so I had to do breast-stroke. But then even that hurt too much too, so I ended up doing it one armed,” he said.

“I was in great pain and agony, but I had to reel my neck in and think there are people out there far worse relying on me to finish this.

“I knew that my pain would go later that day with a little help from the beer, but for people with cancer, their pain is constant.

“I was hurting for over an hour, but they are hurting every day, day-in day-out, and that helped me get to the end.”

Lee, 31, finished the swim in one hour 40 minutes and raised more than £2,300 for Marie Curie Cancer Care, a charity that provides free nursing care to terminally-ill cancer patients in their homes.

“Not finishing was never an option, it was definitely a case of nothing’s going to stop me,” he said.

“I’m really chuffed that I’ve given somebody the option of where to die.

“I know that is blunt and to the point, but that’s what it was all about.”

Lee, who dropped from 18 stone 5lbs to 16 stone 5lbs in training, was one of dozens of people who took part in the challenge at Wetherby Leisure Centre, but the only one dressed in drag.

In the past few months, he has worked tirelessly to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care, even writing to The Queen to ask for her support.

“She donated a family ticket to the grand opening of the state rooms at Buckingham Place as a raffle prize,” said Lee, who works as a distribution manager for Quintal Healthcare, in Thorp Arch.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who sponsored me and donated prizes for the raffle and auction – without their help I couldn’t have done it.”

Lee also held a quiz night at the Fox Inn, in Holgate, raising £540.