Ahead of Georgie Crawford's appearance on The Late Late Show, we're looking back at our interview with the podcaster.
Before Georgie Crawford was diagnosed with breast cancer at 32, she says she had never exercised before.
Crawford, who worked as the Entertainment Editor on Spin 1038, was wrapping up her maternity leave after the birth of her daughter Pia when she found the lump in her breast. The presenter of the Good Glow podcast detailed her journey online, sharing the highs and lows equally.
Two surgeries, five months of chemotherapy and four weeks of radiotherapy later, she stunned audiences with her strength on The Late Late Show, sharing her story and her message of endurance.
But that show of endurance was nothing compared to what she had planned: a 12km mountain run through the Swiss Alps as part of the Swiss Snow Walk & Run in Arosa.
Here, she speaks to RTÉ Lifestyle about the journey from cancer diagnosis to trekking through the Swiss Alps, what keeps her going and the reality of those months after "going back to normal".
Where did the title Digging Deep come from?
The phrase 'digging deep' has always been a big part of my journey over the last couple of years. I first heard it when a fellow cancer survivor was describing how you have to 'dig deep' to get up and face the world every day. It really spoke to me and captured exactly what you have to do when you are faced with such a challenging time in your life.
When you are in the depths of chemotherapy digging deep is sometimes your only option. When I said it on The Late Late Show I didn't imagine it would get such a reaction but I heard from so many people that week who were suffering who told me that's it, that’s exactly it, thank you for saying that because it describes it perfectly.
Where did the idea to challenge yourself with the 12km run come from?
I surprised myself last year after completing some 10km runs. I did the VHI Women's Mini Marathon and Breast Cancer Ireland’s Great Pink Run in both Dublin and Chicago. I didn’t exercise before my cancer diagnosis and in my recovery running became my saviour.
So I started small, one kilometre at a time and soon I was doing the parkrun on a Saturday morning. It became one of my healthy habits and I loved doing them. My husband Jamie found the Arose Snow Run which is a 12km run in the Swiss Alps.
When he suggested it I thought there was no way I would be able for it. But we trained for 7 weeks in Crone Woods in Wicklow and in January we set off for Switzerland. It was the most amazing experience and I was so proud of myself when I reached the top of the mountain.
What was training like for you?
It was very tough. I had never experienced trail running before I started training for the Alps so it was difficult. We were also training in November and December so sometimes the wind would take my breath away. But it was the perfect conditions to train in to get prepared for running in freezing temperatures in Switzerland.
But I have to say those Wicklow training sessions were often tougher than the Alps. Trail running is so challenging but very rewarding. You cannot beat the feeling of getting to the top of a mountain and knowing the hard work is done and you can enjoy the descent. I can't wait to get back to it this summer.
What was the experience of filming it like?
Our friends Jack Lowe and Audrey Hamilton have studied filmmaking in LA and only recently returned to Ireland having spent a couple of years there. Jack is a very talented producer so himself and Jamie sat down and planned everything from start to finish.
Jamie suggested we film it because the scenery would be so beautiful, it was also my biggest challenge yet so I wanted to bring my followers and my Good Glow [podcast] listeners along with me on the journey. So the four of us set off for Switzerland and we had so much fun filming it.
Where did you get your strength to keep going and keep climbing those mountains?
When It gets tough I think about how far I've come since 2017. I was at rock bottom when I was told I had cancer, I was so scared that I wouldn't see my baby [daughter Pia] grow up and go to school so she gave me a lot of strength during that time.
So when I’m out there and it gets tough, I do it for her and for our future. If I invest in myself and keep healthy and fit, it’s better for us all.
There is a lot of advocacy for people with cancer and cancer prevention. Do you feel enough consideration is given to breast cancer survivors?
I never thought it would be so hard to go back to my job after having cancer. I couldn't wait to go back to work and see all of my brilliant radio colleagues who were so supportive to me when I got sick. But when I went back everything had changed and sometimes I would sit at my desk and wonder what on earth I was doing there.
I felt like an entirely different person and would often have panic attacks. My friends Kim, Brendan and Susan would sit with me and calm me down and I’m so grateful to them for that.
But I think more needs to be done to support people in their recovery from cancer and understand how difficult it is to 'go back to normal’. I stayed for about 8 months but I felt like I was on a different path so I decided it was best for me to move on to concentrate on The Good Glow. But who knows, maybe someday I will go back to radio. I will always have the best memories from my 12 years in the industry.
Recent months have brought their own unique challenges, some more extreme for others, and we may not see the end of the pandemic for some time yet. What would your advice be to others on how to stay positive?
It's definitely about taking one day at a time. I think we are all on a rollercoaster of emotions at the moment. It has been challenging at times for us but I really appreciate the time together as a family.
Spending time in nature really helped me in my recovery from breast cancer so I've been reconnecting with that side of myself and using this time to rest and take a step back. I’m really lucky that I could continue to record my podcast and have sparked some pretty interesting conversations.
What are you most looking forward to after things "go back to normal"? Do you have any new goals in mind?
I've some really exciting projects in the pipeline as I grow The Good Glow brand. I’m enjoying exploring the world of wellness and self care. I’m excited to get back to trail running when Pia goes back to Montessori and see what challenges we can take on next.
Watch Digging Deep on RTÉ Player here or on Georgie's IGTV.
