On Monday, May 4th, Bettie Marie Burger-Smit will comb her hair, slick on some lippie and set out on an epic adventure.
Leaving from Wexford bridge and heading via Waterford and Cork to Killarney, the intrepid walker plans to cover 253km in no more than seven days. Oh yeah… and she’ll be wearing nothing but a psychedelic bikini.
It’s all in aid of BodyWhys Ireland – the eating disorder support organisation.
This is the second long distance bikini walk Bettie Marie, who is General Manager at the Brandon House Hotel, New Ross, has undertaken in an effort to raise awareness about the pressure young people face in today’s society where social media and instant feedback can lead to depression, low moral and even suicide.
Bettie writes a continued blog as she walks, and has even done a few talks at schools over the past year (in her bikini) to encourage students to be comfortable in their own skin.
“We cannot change our genetic coding.” she says. “I cannot change that I am of big bones and six foot tall, because to do that I would have had to have different parents. I do however realise how stifled my own young life was by wishing I looked different, and the time wasted on lack of self esteem and not feeling lithe, when all it takes is a bit of belief or guidance on how to look and feel good about yourself; Just as you are”
Follow Bettie-Marie’s ‘An Trek Fada’ here, on Twitter @bettieboep or like the An Trek Fada page on Facebook. Text BODY to 50300 to donate €2.
