Chemo patient takes on cycle inspired by Chris Hoy

Vicki Clark
Presenter, BBC Radio Somerset
Chris Lockyer
BBC News, Somerset
Fiona Grant Fiona, on the right-hand side, is cycling on a bike covered in panniers next to her partner, Andy Blance, on the same set up, on a gravel path.Fiona Grant
Fiona and her partner are preparing to make the journey in September

A woman who has stage four cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy has set herself a challenge to cycle 55 miles (90km) in Scotland.

Fiona Grant, 63, from Taunton, Somerset, was diagnosed with bowel cancer two years ago and in the past nine months she has been on three different treatments which she described as a "gruelling onslaught".

Inspired by Sir Chris Hoy and his own diagnosis, Ms Grant and her partner Andy will ride the Olympian's Tour De 4 challenge in September for cancer charities Penny Brohn and Macmillan.

She said she wanted to push herself and live life beyond her comfort zone.

Fiona is standing in front of a purple background in a BBC building. She has short white hair and is wearing a white T-shirt under a blue, white and red tunic dress.
Fiona will cycle as part of an event set up by Sir Chris Hoy

Ms Grant said she had cycled all her life but her illness has made it more difficult, adding that she had the backing of her consultants for the challenge.

"I realise I don't have to do it and I think its going to depend on how I feel on the day and that's how I'm approaching things... but I would love, love love to do the longer ride," she said.

She signed up for the ride in March but admitted a lot had changed since then.

"It's beginning to feel a little more difficult now... but I'm going to go to Scotland, that's for sure," she said.

"I'm on this fairly new treatment and I'd pretty much learnt how to deal with the previous treatment.

"I'm finding it quite hard to work out the rhythm with that and when my best days are and when I'm not feeling so good - so I'm finding it a bit of a challenge."

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