Campile mother in inspirational Ireland’s Got Talent performance
A CAMPILE breast cancer survivor has bared her soul and body for a great cause on Ireland’s Got Talent.
Therese Daunt-Smyth, 59, took centre stage for the vocal group Sea of Change, which raises money for cancer support buildings beside hospitals for families.
On their maiden night Sea of Change got a Golden Buzzer, the highest acclaim a judge can give, and have been tipped to win the competition outright by pop band impresario Louis Walsh.
There were tears on stage as the cancer-beating group celebrated getting the elusive Golden Buzzer from Denise Van Outen.
In June Therese, who is a proud mother and grandmother, was one of the 90-strong group who organised the world’s largest skinny dip – gathering 2,504 women together on a beach in Wicklow – breaking the Guinness World Record.
With a tag-line: ‘ Out of 90 possible boobs we’ve got 79 and a half’, the group won over tens of thousands of voters.
Sea of Change - led by Dee Featherstone - are all cancer survivors and supporters, having raised €620,000 for children’s cancer charities.
On stage the ladies, aged from 34 to 70, performed a beautiful rendition of This Is Me from The Greatest Showman which brought the audience and judges to their feet.
Ireland’s Got Talent judge Denise Van Outen said after their performance: ‘I just want to say that I found your performance so moving and so inspirational. I’ve had a very turbulent two years with my best friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer. So what you just did meant so much and really touched my heart. You are everything that this show is about.’
Judge Michele Visage said: ‘As we get older in life our lives get affected by many different things. This was so moving to me. I’m so glad Denise hit the Golden Buzzer for you.
‘That was such a body positive, inspirational number. So keep doing what you ladies are doing.’
Therese, who is originally from Dublin but has been living in Ballykerogue, Campile for the past 20 years, said it was an amazing experience.
‘When you think we were a group of women who came together to do a strip and dip and a year later we’re on stage. Well why not! I jumped on board with it straight away. It’s all about being body positive and showing that there is a life after breast cancer. Most of the women in the group have scars and one boob smaller than the other. We all can’t wait for the next show in March. It has been absolutely fantastic!’
She got over some pre-performance nerves and enjoyed performing for the nation.
‘We only had five hours of rehearsals and now we are tipped to win. I woke up the next morning with messages from Australia, America and South Africa.’
Therese was cheered on by her husband Peter, daughter Sarah and grandchildren. She is in great health and had her annual mammogram test last week.