Swimmers have plunged into an icy alpine lake to raise money for a new residential facility for eating disorders.
They're hoping to inspire people to dip into their pockets for something that'll be a huge boost for an under-resourced illness.
It was a freezing Canterbury morning and a roll-call for swimmers wearing both togs and beanies.
They were about to paddle out into mountainous waters just above freezing point to swim laps of Lake Pearson in Arthurs Pass.
And all to help the plight of eating disorder patients in New Zealand.
"The statistics alone were just staggering and I thought this just needs to be done. I've never had a run-in with eating disorders but I know people who have and I think everybody knows someone who has and they kill people," said open water swimmer Michelle Carroll.
It's estimated 103,000 people here struggle with an eating disorder - and 10 percent of those will die.
"All resources are stretched and so often wait times can be up to six months," said Kristie Amadio, from Recovered Living NZ.
Amadio is hoping to have a new facility open early next year.
"We have the capacity to take 12 clients at a time so once we're fully operational and operating at full capacity we will boost the number of national specialist beds for eating disorders by 44 percent," she said.
But that's gonna take some cash.
"Funding is so important to us because we need to raise another $600,000 in order to open our doors," Amadio said.
And that's where Michelle Carroll and the Canterbury Open Water Swimming Association jumped in.
"So they are swimming in water at 6C? Under 6C and doing 100 and 500-metre laps," Amadio said.
Raising funds and awareness while lowering their body temperature.
"The first couple of hundred metres is always the hardest, the cold water sucks your lungs in and restricts your breathing," Carroll said.
And while the amount they'll raise here is a drop in the bucket they're hoping to start a wave of support on the Givealittle page.
And all for a great cause.
