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Dianne Kely-Smith

Help me reach my goal of $1,000

Why I swim

When I was 11, my family lost my brother Karl. He was just 14. It changed our lives forever. Back then (1989), support wasn’t easy to find. Conversations around mental health were different. Resources were limited. Today, there is more help available but too many young people are still struggling in silence. I’m swimming in Laps for Life to be part of that change. To help ensure young people have somewhere safe to turn when life feels overwhelming.

Swimmer

My Swim Progress

Completed

25.00km (1,000 laps)

My goal

15km

Please help Dianne
reach their goal for
youth mental health

Raised

$1,620

My Goal

$1,000

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My Impact

Impact

So far I’ve raised $1,620 to provided 404.955 young people experiencing mental health difficulties with vital support.

Top Donation

Donation top

$158

Eva Angvert

Shoutout to Eva Angvert – my biggest supporter so far with a $158 donation to help young people get the mental health support they need through ReachOut!

Funds Raised

Note: displays max previous 3 years of fundraising only

My Updates

Day 22: team swim
Today was a special one. All three of us in the same lane — swimming together. It was so lovely to share the swim, side by side, supporting each other. 

A 3 km team effort, with 1 km each. This journey started as something I was doing on my own… and now it’s something we’re doing together 💙
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Day 21: three weeks in
Hit the big 50m pool today and the sun finally out. 1.5 km done ✅ 

Three weeks of swimming now, and the laps are really adding up 17.9 km (716 laps). 

It’s been a mix of early mornings, rainy days, rest days, and just showing up.
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Day 19: more than just laps
Back in the pool for Day 19 with 1.5 km done. Past my passed goal for the month — 16.3 km swam (goal was 15 km). 

But this has never really just been about the distance. This challenge is personal. Having experienced the loss of my brother to suicide, I know how deeply it impacts a family. It’s something that stays with you. 

And it’s why this matters so much to me. It shouldn’t be happening to our young people. They have so much to live for, and yet so many are struggling in ways we don’t always see. 

That’s why I’m swimming. Every lap is for awareness, for support, and for the hope that more young people get the help they need 💙
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Day 16 & 17: back in the water
Day 16 was meant to be a swim with my youngest, but she wasn’t feeling well, so we both skipped it and took a rest day. 

Back in the pool for Day 17 with swimfit class and 1.55 km ✔️ 

Feeling a little fatigued…Having other ladies in the group also swimming Laps for Life kept me going. It’s amazing how much easier it feels when you’re doing it alongside others 💙
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Day 15: halfway there
The distance is starting to add up now, and it’s nice to feel the rhythm of getting back in the water again. 

✅ 1.5 km done 

Today’s swim also marked a milestone, over halfway to my distance goal for the month.
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Day 13 & 14: mixing it up
Day 13 was a rest day. The rain and wind continued, and my youngest wasn’t feeling great, so we skipped the swim. 

Day 14 was a change of pace with a lunchtime swim. The pool was super quiet, a nice change and I tested out my new Laps for Life swim cap. With no rushing and a bit more time in the water. I mixed things up with the pull buoy, kickboard, fins, and hand paddles, and rotated through breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle (skipping butterfly!). 

A huge 1.7 km today, which is the longest distance I’ve swum in one session for a very long time. A good day in the pool 💙
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Day 11 & 12: swimfit birthday
Day 11 was a rest day. 

Back in the pool for Day 12, with a 1.2 km SwimFit class. Today’s session was a 4-minute rotation circuit, moving through different stations including kickboard, pull buoy, anything but freestyle, 25 fast / 25 steady pace, and individual medley (half a lap of each stroke). 

It’s always a great workout when you don’t have to plan the swim and someone else tells you what to do. And the best part… cake afterwards to celebrate SwimFit’s birthday 🎂 Not a bad way to finish a morning at the pool 💙
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Day 10: playing our cards right
SwimFit class today — 1.1 km done. We had a change of instructor, which meant mixing things up a little. Instead of the usual structure, the session was based on a deck of cards. Each card pulled determined the stroke and distance we had to swim. You never quite knew what was coming next, which made it a fun challenge.
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Day 9: rain continues
The rain kept coming today. A 1.1km swim with my youngest. It felt a little chilly getting in, but after a few laps we soon warmed up. Another swim done 💙
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Day 8: rainy day swim
A rainy Sunday morning at the pool today. I was going to be wet in the water anyway, so why not swim. I swam 800m, then joined the aqua class before hopping back in for another 250m with my sister. She’s also doing Laps for Life this year. Swimming has never really been her thing, but she’s giving it her best shot. Having both lost our brother, we know how important this cause is. What started as something I was doing on my own has now turned into a little team of three — my sister, my daughter, and me 💙
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Day 6 & 7: last person standing (swimming)
Day 6 didn’t quite start as planned. Rookie error, I forgot my goggles and swim cap.

Thankfully the pool came to the rescue and loaned me a pair so I could still get in the water. I was swimming with my youngest, who has now officially joined my team and signed up for Laps for Life too 👏, which made the swim even more special. I also didn’t realise the pool closed at 6pm… and suddenly I was the last person left. The staff kindly let me finish my final four laps so I could reach my 1km goal before hopping out. 

Day 7 is a rest day. My body is definitely feeling it after not swimming for a very long time — but it’s a good kind of tired. Total so far: 🏊‍♀️ 5.6km of my 15km goal 💙 $1,071 raised (target was $1,000)
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Day 4 & 5: rest and swim fit
No swim on Day 4, a rest day. 

Back at the pool on Day 5 for a Swim Fit class. I was a urprised to learn how may people were taking part in Laps for Life. Great to see others showing up for the cause. 1.3km today 💙
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Day 3: let someone else plan
Today was a 30-minute class at the local pool. Sometimes it’s great when you don’t have to plan the swim. Just turn up and let someone else tell you what to do. Today’s session was a 4-minute circuit style workout. 1.2km done 💙
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Day 2: sunset swim
Evening swim tonight, watching the sunset from the pool. 1.1km with my youngest, who has now also signed up for Laps for Life. Mixed it up with freestyle, pull buoy, and kickboard.
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Day 1: the perfect start 💙
Kicked off Laps for Life with 1km at the local pool, there right on opening time at 8am Sunday. Managed to score lane 5 (my favourite number), with one of my girls swimming alongside me. Then both girls joined me for aqua. Sunshine, the first day of autumn, and breakfast together after. The perfect start 💙
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My Team

Kely-Smith-Brown

Dianne Kely-Smith (C)

Raised so far:

$1,619.82

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Kely-Smith-Brown

Toni Kely-Brown

Raised so far:

$501.57

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Kely-Smith-Brown

Emily Smith

Raised so far:

$489.98

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My Gallery

Thank you to my
supporters

$158.25

Eva Angvert

Great job! I’m so impressed by your commitment ‼️❤️

$106.12

Kelly

Go Dianne! Best wishes from all at WellFemme :-)

$106.12

Theresa

Such a worthy cause. I hope this helps. Great work Didi!!

$106.12

Farm Owners Academy

An incredible cause, well done Dianne!

$106.12

Jamie Lowden

Great Effort. Keep up those laps!

$94.86

Dianne Kely-Smith

$94.86

Matched by Gonski Foundation

$94.86

Pete Harman

$94.86

Amy Meissner

Dianne, thank you for sharing Karl’s story and for doing something so meaningful to help others. Wishing you strength for every lap. Cheering you on.

$89

Annie Spragge

A cause very dear to my heart also. Well done and thank you for raising awareness💙

$56.24

Eve Weatherburn

$56.24

Samantha Bacon

Well done Dianne xx

$56.24

sharon

Such great progress- continue and enjoy week 2

$56.24

Anonymous

$56.24

Paige

Great work Di,very inspiring!

$54.99

Lisa

Just keep swimming! Doing a great job for a worthy cause. X

$54.12

Megan D

Such an amazing cause 🤍 Proud of you!

$50

Kristy H

You go girl!

$43.60

Mandy Bishop

Good luck, thinking of you xx

$25

Anonymous

Go Di 🏊‍♀️

$22.58

Anonymous

$20

Christine Beca

Amazing achievement, happy to support you, your team, and your cause.

$17.16

Tegan

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