Salthill turns pink in aid of breast cancer

By Aoibhe Connolly

There was a sea of pink – literally – in Salthill on Sunday morning, as hundreds of people decked out in flashy pink attire, ran into the waves on Ladies Beach in support of breast cancer research. 

The annual ‘Swim in Pink’ event, which is held every October as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, celebrated its fifth birthday this year.

Louise Griffin, the event’s organiser, explained how this fundraising concept first came to her: 

“It was around July 2020 during Covid, my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer and my mum had had breast cancer as well. 

“I had just started designing swimsuits for Blackrock Beachware, so I figured, maybe I could design a swimsuit and give the proceeds to the NBCRI.

“Then I suggested maybe I’ll do a swim to coincide with it. The first swim we’d done, there was 20 people on the beach and I had a hand-held speaker, and it made about 20 grand.”

Ms Griffin told Galway Pulse that she never expected the event to take off the way that it has.

Now in its fifth year with several swims taking place nationwide, the charity event is bringing crucial attention to a disease that has affected almost every family across the country.

It aims to encourage women to stay vigilant for the signs of breast cancer and to check themselves regularly. 

The campaign has even gone global, with people donning their pink and dipping into the sea in places as far as Berlin and Dubai.

“People enjoy the vibe and the community feel. This year alone, I think we’re set to raise nearly €300,000, who knows? We’ll reach for the stars!,” Ms Griffin said.

The fundraiser on Sunday featured refreshments to warm up the brave swimmers, a raffle and a ‘How many bras in the box?’ guessing game with some hamper prizes.

Those in attendance were treated to a performance by the Salthill Village Choir, and a pink cake was produced for Louise, who will celebrate her birthday this coming Thursday.

Despite the core reason behind this gathering and the devastating reality of breast cancer, this inspiring community of people place this subject in a hopeful light, sharing stories and creating connection amid what can often be an isolating experience.

Pink Participants

Swimmer, Fiona Grady is a breast cancer survivor, she told Galway Pulse that ​witnessing the massive turn out at the Swim in Pink fundraiser was especially emotional for her.

“I had breast cancer in 2011 when I was 31, so for me, anything we could do to help the National Breast Cancer Research Institute is brilliant.” 

“It’s also our charity partner for Boston Scientific and there are lots of representatives from the company around,” she explained.

Faith Fahy takes part in the swim each year and has seen firsthand the progress that has been made to raise funds and awareness. 

“Every penny counts, it’s just a great way for people to come together, and it’s all over the country now.

“The money goes to researchers and is of so much benefit. They need the money to get the results and they’ve gone from achieving what was, a number of years ago, 50%, up into the 80s now, on survival rates,” she said.

As the beach was obscured by a host of bright pink bobble hats bobbing along in the water and supporting from the shore, any passer-by could gauge the community spirit and positivity that unites this group of people.

“It’s such fun, people get in, enjoy themselves, they cry, they sing, they just get caught up with it all,” Ms Fahy added.