County Derry woman takes ‘Giant Feat’ in her Stride for Charity
Joanne took on the hike in memory of her late father.
Joanne Etherson, from Kilrea, has completed a 26 mile hike along the iconic Giant’s Causeway trail.
The event, arranged by Macmillan Cancer Support, took place on Saturday and is part of their ‘Mighty Hike’ marathon series in renowned beauty spots across the UK.
Joanne, who is an assistant accountant for Toomebridge based glass façade specialist Topglass, took part in order to fundraise for Topglass’ charity partner of the year, and in memory of her late father, Eamon Rea. So far she has raised over £1600 for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Joanne said: “I decided to take on this challenge in memory of Daddy, who passed away 30 years ago in May, not only as a tribute to him but also to other family and friends who have been profoundly affected by cancer.
"The hike itself was both intense, as I had expected, but also incredibly uplifting. There was a great atmosphere of support among the participants who had all been affected in some way by this terrible disease, many of us were taking part in memory of a loved one so it was definitely an emotional experience.
"I can’t thank everyone who supported me enough, both on the day and via donations.”
Topglass’ Managing Director, Mark Mitchell, said: “We are extremely proud of Joanne and her efforts in support of our charity partner, Macmillan Cancer Support.
"We knew that her dedication and tenacity would stand her in good stead and are delighted by what she has achieved.”
If you would like to make a donation to Joanne’s fundraiser you can still do so via her Just Giving page.