Jillian Best’s Marathon Swim Story
“Believe in yourself,” says Jillian Best, the first transplant recipient to swim the 52km across Lake Ontario.
If it’s a simple as that, why isn’t everyone doing it?
First of all, it’s not that easy. Do you believe in yourself?
I talk a lot with my clients about trust. You have to trust the process and trust your plan.
If you’re not sure if you trust yourself, just add a “yet” on to the end of that statement. Give yourself the opportunity to surprise yourself. Then sign up for a big crazy goal and go for it!
I hope you enjoy Jillian’s story. As my last guest, John Scott put it, she’s a transplant “thriver”, not just a survivor. If you haven’t yet, sign up to be an organ donor, you never know who’s life you might save!
Enjoy!
In her own words:
Jillian Best grew up being active and loving the water.
Her health and life path took some unexpected turns as she hit her teens when depression hit, dealing with an ill mother and a diagnosis that left her future uncertain.
Jillian’s liver began to fail at the age of 22 and it wasn’t until she was 29 when she received the gift of life; a liver transplant.
Since then, Jillian has been on a mission to raise awareness around the importance of organ donation.
After her transplant in 2016, she found her way back to swimming and it played a huge role in her mental and physical recovery from her transplant.
She competed in 2 international swimming competitions at the World Transplant Games (in Malaga Spain 2017, and New Castle, England in 2019) before the pandemic hit, and it was then she transitioned her love for swimming to the open water. Even with the pools closed, she wanted to continue swimming and raising awareness for the cause that means so much to her.
In May of 2020, she started her training for an ultra marathon swim.
In August of 2021 Jillian became the first transplant recipient to swim 51km across Lake Ontario, from Niagara on the Lake to Toronto, in 18 hours and 36 minutes. Over this period of time, Jillian also founded the Move for Life Foundation. Jillian and the Move for Life team raised $180,000 from the swim and donated it to the transplant program that saved her life!
Jillian continues to live an active lifestyle, continues to swim, and is planning another fundraising event with her team, to keep spreading awareness for organ donation.”
IG @move.for.life.foundation
IG @jillian_best
FB Move for Life
FB Jillian Best
