She originally made a resolution to learn to swim in 1996, but more than 20 years later found herself still scared of getting in even shallow water.
She found the fear of being in a pool overwhelming and suffered from panic attacks.
But, as she approached her 50th birthday, she became more concerned about her overall health and after a couple of false starts, last year finally succeeded in her mission to swim.
She did it, aged 49, with the help of a great swimming teacher at Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex in Gatting Way, Uxbridge.
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She beat her fears and now considers herself a confident swimmer, completing lengths of the 50m pool at least three times a week.
Maria says she feels full of energy, has lost half a stone and feels generally fitter and healthier.
She is sharing her story as part of Fusion’s Rethink, Refresh, Restart campaign, encouraging people to reboot their fitness in 2019.
To help with this you can book a free pass to visit Hillingdon Sport and Leisure Complex here.
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