Northern Ireland woman faces eight days of surviving in Arctic wilderness

Naomi Morrow turned 40 last year and wanted to mark the milestone by doing something for those around her.

She decided to embark on an Arctic Challenge for Cancer Focus Northern Ireland in memory of her father Raymond Ritchie who lost his battle with cancer and numerous other people she knows who are battling the disease including her mum and work colleague.

Naomi has been raising funds for the charity since last November and has so far collected around £2,000, but hopes to raise more.

“I would like to raise as much as possible because it’s for a good cause and all the money will be used here in Northern Ireland,” she explained.

Naomi, a behaviour associated disability therapist at schools in Mid Ulster, heads off with eight others to Stockholm, Sweden, on March 20.

“We then have a two or three hour flight north to the middle of Sweden where we will be based for eight days,” she said.

Once there the team will have to learn to cope and survival in the wilderness.

Naomi has been running and walking in preparation as well as taking icy dips in Lough Neagh to brace herself for the challenge ahead.

She also took advantage of the recent snowy conditions to get into the Sperrin mountains.

She explained: “It’s set in a stunning and pristine wilderness environment, miles from anywhere. This once in a lifetime challenge shall challenge my ability to adapt to and live in the heart of this environment, satisfy my survival instinct, as well as experience tranquility and relaxation under the stars of the Arctic. I shall participate in husky driving, ice fishing, trapping, hunting, shelter and snow hole building which I will have to sleep in.”

She is planning a series of bucket collections for Cancer Focus NI in Magherafelt town centre and Crawfords, Maghera, as well as coffee mornings.

She kicked off her fundraising with an event in St Swithin’s Church Hall at the end of November.

One in two people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. In the UK, the most common types of cancer are: breast cancer, lung cancer. As a result the charity Cancer Focus Northern Ireland has been working for over 50 years to reduce the impact of cancer on local people’s lives.

They provide care and support services for cancer patients and their families; offer a range of cancer prevention programmes to help people lessen their risk of getting cancer; fund scientific research into the causes and treatment of the disease and campaign for better health policy to protect our community and its future.

Most of their work is funded through donations and fundraising so they couldn’t continue to operate without such fundraising events as the Arctic Challenge.

If you would like to contribute towards the services of Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Naomi-Morrow