Helen (Stewart) Hunt was a versatile athlete who excelled in swimming and volleyball. Her sister, Mary (Stewart) McIlwaine, and her husband, Ted Hunt, are also members of the BC Sports Hall of Fame. Helen and Mary swam originally with the Vancouver Swim Club until their father, William Stewart, and coach Howard Firby, formed the Canadian Dolphin Swim Club where the sisters became two of the first members.

At age fifteen, Helen won silver in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver. A year later she won one gold and two silver medals at the 1955 Pan American Games in Mexico in the 100m freestyle, the medley relay, and the freestyle relay.

In 1956, Helen won silver at the US Nationals for the 100m freestyle and broke the world record in the 100-yard freestyle. That same year she represented Canada at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.

Helen captured a silver medal at the 1959 Pan American Games in the 400m freestyle relay. Her younger sister Mary was also on the same relay team.

Helen was the recipient of the Beatrice Pines Trophy, awarded to the outstanding Canadian woman swimmer, for three consecutive years from 1955-57.

Helen retired from competitive swimming after the 1959 Pan Ams and spent three years coaching for the Vancouver Amateur Swim Club and the Canadian Dolphins.

She later became seriously involved in volleyball and played on four Canadian championship volleyball teams in 1964 and 1966-68. Helen was also a member of the 1967 Canadian Pan American Games volleyball team that placed sixth and the 1971 Canadian Pan Am team that placed fifth.