Graeme Souness swims 21 miles across Channel to raise £1.1m

Graeme Souness, 70, swims the English Channel in honour of Isla, 14, whose every moment is agony due to a rare skin disease – and raises more than £1million for charity

• Debra UK is a charity that supports those affected by epidermolysis bullosa (EB)
• Joined by five friends, Souness completed the swim in 12 hours and 17 minutes 

Former footballer and TV pundit Graeme Souness has completed a 21-mile charity swim across the English Channel.

The 70-year-old has raised more than £1 million for Debra UK, a national charity supporting individuals and families affected by epidermolysis bullosa (EB).

EB is a rare condition that causes painful, blistering skin, and Souness said he was inspired to take on the challenge after spending time with a good friend, Isla Grist, 14, who is living with the condition.

Joined by five friends, including Isla’s father Andy, the Scotland former professional footballer completed the challenging swim in 12 hours and 17 minutes on Sunday, according to Debra UK’s Twitter page.

On the fundraising page for the challenge. Souness said: ‘From the time I have spent with Isla and her family, I have seen first-hand the extreme pain this devastating condition causes and the daily challenges it creates.

Former footballer and TV pundit Graeme Souness has completed a 21-mile charity swim across the English Channel

EB is a rare condition that causes painful, blistering skin, and Souness said he was inspired to take on the challenge after spending time with a good friend, Isla Grist (right), 14, who is living with the condition

Joined by five friends, including Isla’s father Andy, the Scotland former professional footballer completed the challenging swim in 12 hours and 17 minutes on Sunday, according to Debra UK’s Twitter page

‘I wanted to do something that could make a difference to Isla’s life and to the lives of so many others living with EB, and the slightly crazy idea of swimming the English Channel was suggested.’

Souness said he is not ‘one to walk away from a challenge’, but despite living by the sea for the past 16 years, he has never been in it and open water swimming is new to him. 

‘This will certainly be the most difficult challenge I’ve ever taken on,’ he said. ‘I am determined to complete the swim, though.

‘Alongside Isla’s dad, Andy, and the rest of the team, we will complete the challenge and in doing so raise awareness of EB and support to find the treatments that are so desperately needed.’

After spending most of his football career playing number 11, Souness set a target to raise £1.1 million for Debra UK.

READ MORE: Scotland football team send Graeme Souness a good luck video ahead of his awe-inspiring challenge to swim the English Channel to raise funds to fight devastating skin disease 

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa is a form of EB, which causes the skin to become extremely fragile – often with extensive blistering and wounds.

There are many different types of EB but Isla has recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa – which is one of the worst – and she has already undergone 65 operations.

As vice president of Debra, Souness has become inextricably linked to the cause.

‘I didn’t know anything about EB,’ Souness told Mail Sport, ‘but when it was put in front of me, it was a wild moment, it was like someone had sort of punched me in the face. 

‘As a football manager, you work with your doctor every single day and I worked for 20 years as a football manager, but no-one had ever mentioned this disease. Then, when I saw it, I just wanted to get involved. It’s your worst nightmare, you see. It’s the worst possible thing.’

On the fundraising page for the challenge. Souness said: ‘From the time I have spent with Isla and her family, I have seen first-hand the extreme pain this devastating condition causes and the daily challenges it creates’

Souness said he is not ‘one to walk away from a challenge’, but despite living by the sea for the past 16 years, he has never been in it and open water swimming is new to him

After spending most of his football career playing number 11, Souness set a target to raise £1.1 million for Debra UK

People have donated in their thousands. Within 24 hours, Souness and his fellow swimmers had already hit the £290,000 mark. The fundraiser has no reached more than £1million

As vice president of Debra, Souness has become inextricably linked to the cause

WHAT IS EPIDERMOLYSIS BULLOSA?

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a general term used to describe a group of rare, inherited disorders that cause the skin to become very fragile.

Any trauma or friction causes patients’ skin to blister.

It affects around one in every 50,000 people worldwide. 

Around 40 per cent of sufferers do not survive the first year and most do not live beyond five years old. 

The three main types of the disorder include:

• EB simplex – where blistering occurs in the upper layer of skin. This affects 70 per cent of sufferers
• Dystrophic EB – where blistering occurs in the upper layer beneath the skin’s surface, which affects 25 per cent of patients
• Junctional EB – where blistering occurs in the lower layer of the inner skin, which is usually the most severe form of the condition 

Most cases are obvious from birth.

EB occurs due to faulty genes, which can be inherited or occur spontaneously. 

There is no cure.

Treatment focuses on relieving pain and treating complications, such as infections or skin cancer. 

Source: NHS Choices and the National Organization for Rare Disorders 

People have donated in their thousands. Within 24 hours, Souness and his fellow swimmers had already hit the £290,000 mark. The fundraiser has no reached more than £1million. 

The Scotland, Liverpool and Rangers legend put it down to the horror of the illness and the reaction to Isla herself.

‘I don’t think you can help but be impressed when you’re in her company,’ he admitted.

‘She is just a very special character. It comes out right away that she’s a smart kid. You know, she’s bright as a button but she shows more concern for her loved ones than she does for her own welfare. 

‘That’s all about Andy, her mum Rachel and her sister Emily and how they’re dealing with her situation. She is the epitome of such stoicism. And I would say the most impressive young person I’ve ever come across in my life.’ 

Scotland’s football team wished Souness good luck ahead of his bid. 

Souness featured for his national side between 1974 and 1984 and enjoyed spells in Scottish football too, with stints at Rangers as both a player and later a manager. 

Many of his fans and former colleagues have been touched by his crusade to raise awareness for the disease using his significant media platform, not least the national team were he earned 54 caps during his playing career.

Chris Woods, who played under Souness at Rangers betwen 1986 and 1991 and now serves as Scotland’s goalkeeper coach, was filmed wishing his former manager luck before the swim, noting what a ‘terrific gesture’ the pundit is set to undertake. 

‘On behalf of everyone here at the Scotland national team, I just wanted to wish you the best of luck on your charity swim across the channel,’ Woods said. 

‘It’s a terrific gesture for a charity that I know means a lot to you, and I’m sure you’ll make a lot of money and awareness for it. All the best, I hope you do it well.’

To find out more on the challenge and Debra UK, visit Graeme Souness’ fundraising page.

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