Bettystown grandmother plans to brave freezing waters on Christmas day to celebrate cancer all clear

A 71-year-old cancer survivor from Bettystown who says sea swimming "saved her life" is planning to brave the freezing waters of her local beach on Christmas morning to celebrate getting the all clear from the deadly disease.

Jean Strong (71) from Bettystown was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2019, just weeks after her husband Ronald (77) was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of the blood.

Thankfully Jean got the all clear during the summer and puts her recovery and goodhealth down to the benefits of the sea. She added:

"I am swimming everyday non stop, twice a day some days. I'm going into my third winter now doing it and it's just wonderful.

"I'm totally addicted and everybody you speak to it's the same thing.

"I think it saved so many people's lives over the lockdown.

"I got the all clear about four months ago so my treatment is finished and I feel wonderful, however my husband is still receiving treatment.

"I can't wait to have a dip on Christmas morning, I don't miss a morning, I go every morning at 7am and if there's a high tide in the evening, I'll go again," she said.

The day after she finished six weeks of intense radiotherapy in September 2019 the Bettystown pensioner joined ‘Swim Tribe’, a group of local women who take on the cold waters of the seaside town every day and says “she has never looked back.”

“I was just recovering from cancer and just finished my treatment the day before when I took my first swim and it saved my life.

“I was told I was going to be sick and probably very tired after the treatment and I never had anything and I attribute it all to my sea swimming.

“Particularly anyone who has mental health issues it just does wonders for the mind.”

Jean has four children and five grandchildren and is originally from Tullamore in Co, Offaly but has been living in the seaside town for the past 37 years. She was diagnosed with breast cancer just a few weeks after her husband Ronald was told he was also suffering from the illness. She said:

“My husband had cancer at the time and still has it now so it was a double whammy we suffered in this house.

“I was just getting my head around my husband Ronald’s cancer when one morning I was in the shower and found a lump.

“The whole thing went into action fairly quickly. I attended the Mater Private and was treated by a wonderful consultant Professor Stokes and I was diagnosed at that stage with step 2 Breast Cancer.

“Looking back at it, I don’t know how we coped but we just got up and got on with it, we didn’t have a choice.

“We were both in our 70s, so it was either that or go down under.”

“It has made us stronger people at the end of the day.

“I value life far more and all of the other materialistic things of this world don’t matter to me. All I want is for my family and everyone around me to be healthy and happy.

Jean says she discovered swimming at the end of her radiotherapy and has never stopped since.

“You don’t have to be a swimmer, just go down and immerse yourself in the cold water, it’s wonderful.”

“Swimming has saved my life both mentally and physically.

“As long as god gives me my strength to keep going I’ll do it.”