31/03/2026
Midwest local Keitha Bradley from Open Gate Natural Therapy
Learning to swim, healing her body, raising awareness and funds for for Life - Youth Support Services
“By lifting others, we lift ourselves.”
At 77, Keitha Bradley never imagined she’d be swimming kilometres in the ocean.
In fact, just a year earlier, she could barely walk.
When a knee replacement went wrong, Ms Bradley’s mobility declined to the point where she stopped walking and eventually gave up most daily activities, slipping into a deep mental low.
As doctors discussed further major surgeries, Ms Bradley decided to try something different.
“I thought, I better do something about it,” she said.
Ms Bradley started in the water, when walking was too painful.
She built her confidence up step-by-step, swimming in a pool before eventually venturing into the ocean.
“I couldn’t swim very much to begin with, but now I can do a kilometre in the ocean,” she said.
What began as rehab turned into something much bigger, as Ms Bradley found the ocean helped not just her body but also her mindset.
“It’s good for your body, it’s good for your mind, it’s good for your soul,” she said.
Now, Ms Bradley swims regularly, walks every day, and is back riding her bike; things that once felt out of reach.
After pushing herself to swim longer distances, she has signed up for a fundraising challenge to support youth su***de prevention.
“If I can just help one person at a time… that’s helped me to keep swimming,” she said.
For Ms Bradley, the journey is about more than fitness.
It’s about healing, belief, and showing others what’s possible.
“You just change your mindset… the body knows how to heal itself,” she said.
Her message is simple: start where you are, keep moving, and don’t write yourself off.
“You’re never too late to start.”
This is the first story in a new series, Humans of the Sea, exploring people and their connection to the ocean.
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