Cancer patient embarks on Alps cycling challenge

Zelda Wilson is cycling across the Alps between Basel and Milan after setting off on Saturday

A cancer patient who has embarked on a gruelling challenge to cycle across the Alps on a fold-up bike has said she wants to encourage others to live life to the full.

Zelda Wilson, from Warwick, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007.

The cancer returned in her bones 11 years later, and she has since also had a brain tumour and had to learn to talk again.

"It's a privilege to have the mirror of mortality held in front of you," she said.

"I live each day like it's my last."

The 58-year-old has defied doctors with her recovery after being given two years to live in 2018.

She has continued to take on cycling, ironman and marathon challenges, including now cycling between Basel in Switzerland and Milan, Italy until Sunday.

Ms Wilson said training and eating well had kept her strong over the years

Ms Wilson had a double mastectomy after her breast cancer diagnosis as she was found to have the BRCA2 gene.

"I didn't know how many months I have, but I lived from scan to scan and it felt like freedom," she added.

She faced further trauma last year after undergoing major surgery for a brain tumour and being told there was an 80% chance of paralysis and loss of speech, before breaking her neck in March.

Ms Wilson had major surgery for a brain tumour last year

"It is amazing how the brain works," she said.

"I had to learn to form my words and to speak again, and to read again and to write again."

But she said she believed being physically strong kept her emotionally strong, which has helped her over the last 17 years.

In her latest challenge, she said she was cycling more than 200 miles with a friend across the Alps.

"I worked on my fitness and endurance and nutrition and emotional resistance, small bits at a time. They stood me in good stead."

She said she would continue to plan her trips around her monthly immunotherapy sessions and hoped she had encouraged others to get the most out of life.

Her personal trainer, Michelle Gilkes from Juno Fitness, said she was an inspiring woman.

"There's always been some adventure she's focusing on and it's joy," she said.

"She's always looking for the joy, she always looking for something lovely to do and she finds the fun thing in everything."

Ms Wilson said that she wanted to encourage others to get the most out of life