My name is Joost Blok, and I am a plastic and reconstructive surgeon based in Johannesburg.
This will be my first 8- miles. 
I have been participating with the Midmar mile since 1997 and swam the mile approximately 30 times. 
I saw people doing eight miles for charity and always admired them for their stamina and perseverance. My oldest son swam the eight miles, when he was 16 for the Segwengwenza project.
The reason that I would like to swim the eight miles first and foremost is that I was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2020, where a surgical resection of the tumour was successful. Although I recovered well a different sense of life is close to my heart. Awareness that the cancer can return and change my drive to live for my family and patients is sometimes challenging.
My colleague and friend Dr. Adri Kok is a well-established physician and works in the same hospital, where I work; after a fall she broke her hip, but this was a pathological fracture related to breast cancer. Her treatment is difficult, and her prognosis is not so good. She will not say anything but continues to work to assist her patients as good as she can. 
I swim for her, and happily raise R10.000 for charity.