Pharmacy technician braves the Atlantic in memory of late mum

Christmas can be a hard time for many, especially for those experiencing grief. Pharmacy technician Margaret Harbinson braved the elements of the Atlantic on Christmas Day to take part in a Santa Sea Swim in memory of her late mum.

Margaret, who’s from Castlereagh, sadly lost her mum Maureen to leukaemia last year. Knowing that her mum was such a big part of her family’s Christmas, Margaret knew that the festive period would be very difficult. So, in memory of her beloved mum, Margaret pledged to complete a sponsored Santa Sea Swim in Portrush on Christmas Day.

On Christmas Day, Margaret and her partner Trevor were up before sunrise and made their way to White Rock Beach in Portrush. By 8am, the pair were running straight into the Atlantic Ocean in aid of Cancer Research.

When asked about the experience, Margaret explained, “It was an extremely hard day which was full of emotion. However, it felt right to do something different on Christmas morning to honour Mum’s life and to raise money for people going through similar experiences. It was absolutely freezing but was it was so lovely to have a few moments to clear my mind on such an emotional day.”

Margaret’s Santa Sea Swim raised £120 for Cancer Research.

Although Margaret set out to complete a challenge in aid of charity, she also has developed a new found love for sea swimming, commenting that it is a time to improve her mental wellbeing during such a sorrowful time in her life.