Cyclist challenging 'stage four cancer perceptions'

Bex Hind said she tries to have a positive mindset despite how "devastating and brutal" her cancer is

A woman living with stage four cancer is taking on a 90km (55.9 miles) cycling challenge to show that a diagnosis "does not always limit what is possible".

Rebecca Hind, 39, from Morland in Cumbria, was diagnosed with the rare cancer Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP) in 2019 and has since had more than 10 abdominal organs removed.

Rebecca - known as Bex - said she "refused to sit down and give up" so signed up to take part in Sir Chris Hoy's Tour de 4 cycle event next month, starting at the velodrome in Glasgow.

"People have often wanted to wrap me up in cotton wool, while others think with a stage four diagnosis you shouldn't be pushing yourself," Bex said.

PMP affects up to 400 new patients in the UK a year, with as many as 40% seeing it return after surgery.

Bex was diagnosed aged 34 after getting stomach upsets for about two months, when it was "by just chance the on-call consultant was a specialist surgeon who sent me off for more investigations".

PMP affects up to 400 new patients in the UK a year

"I explored the idea of harvesting my eggs for the future but unfortunately my ovaries were affected."

Bex had eight rounds of chemotherapy but said the scans showed it had little effect so she decided to have "really radical surgery known as the mother of all surgeries".

Bex said she "refused to sit down and give up" after being diagnosed with a rare cancer

Bex had her appendix, greater momentum, large bowel, spleen, gall bladder, ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, cervix, rectum, diaphragm and parts of her small bowel, stomach and liver removed.

It became incurable with more tumours - one the size of a melon - having to be removed.

"It's devastating and brutal. Every day I struggle and I'm reliant on a lot of medication.

"Some days I can't get out of bed, while other days I feel grand - I can ride for many hours.

"There are difficulties with everything but with the right positive mindset it's possible.

"I've come to terms with the emotional side of stuff."

Bex said she is reliant on a lot of daily medication

"I could easily give up but I want to give myself the best possible chance and be in the best physical condition in order to be able to tackle whatever comes next."

Bex has launched a GoFundMe campaign for UK charity Pseudomyxoma Survivor which support cancer patients, care givers and families.

Bex said the fundraising was "critical to support research to better understand and treat rare conditions".

"Whilst it could be too late for me, I'm hugely motivated to help other patients diagnosed with this devastating disease."

Bex said her positive energy has helped her cope

"I knew little about the reality of serious illness because I was fortunate enough that no-one close to me had been diagnosed with cancer," Bex continued.

"I assumed that cancer patients all looked frail and very poorly and were limited with what they could do.

"While this sometimes is unfortunately true, for others it is less so."

Bex said she loves wild swimming and does it to relax after medical appointments

Bex said: "There's still things you can do in your life that are fun... I go for a medical scan and then go for wild swim.

"There's plenty of good stuff there and that's what I want to pass along.

"Cycling brings me freedom to explore... it doesn't need to be hard or fast or far, just getting out that's important."

The Tour de 4 event, which takes place on 7 September, was created by Sir Chris Hoy who revealed he had stage four cancer last year.