Freezebury Challenge
07/10/2025
On a morning when “Storm Amy” brought dark skies, wind and rain, in blew Charlotte Walsh, her mum and friends to bring some brightness to St Vincent’s University Hospital. Their smiles and laughter were a real treat on a grey weather day!
Charlotte was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma last year and in support of her and her journey, her friends set up the “Freezebury Challenge”. This was a daily sea-swim through the month of February, starting with a 1-minute plunge on day one and growing by a minute a day until reaching the final 28-minute swim on the last day. The team wore ordinary swimming togs (no wetsuits allowed) and had to duck their heads under the ice-cold water each day – all to raise funds for St Vincent’s Foundation. And raise them they did! We were presented with a huge €28,510.00, which will be allocated to the hospital’s work with Haematology, given that Charlotte received her treatment from the team there. Charlotte and her mum, Vanessa, reunited with some of that team, who were greeted like the great friends they have become over the past year.
Charlotte faced some very difficult times but was all smiles and laughter during her visit to see us. She is an inspiration and we pay tribute to her as well as to her wonderful family and friends who have done so much to help others in a similar situation. St Vincent’s Foundation sends a huge “thank you” to one and all and of course, we send continued best wishes to Charlotte.
Pictures shows l-r
- Dr Liam Smyth, Grace Mullin, Sarah MacMahon, Erinn Hourican, Charlotte Walsh, Nicoletta Borza, Sophie Lynch, Helen McVeigh, Deirdre Cleary, Dr Maryse Power and Dr Claire Andrews
- Erinn Hourican, Sarah MacMahon, Grace Mullin, Leo Ortiz, Charlotte Walsh & Vanessa Hamilton, Marie Tafalla, Samantha Morelli and Nicoletta Borza.
