At the age of just 41, Zelda Wilson, from Warwick, was given a 50 per cent chance of surviving beyond 12 months.

Seventeen years later and while still battling Grade 4 breast cancer, she is celebrating a return from her latest adventure – a 500km cycling trip over the Alps on her lightweight Brompton folding bike!

Zelda has also raised around £1,000 for charity as a result of her seven-day ride along the 2,100m Gotthard Pass between Basel in Switzerland and Como in Italy last week.

Joined by her partner Frank, the pair camped almost every night en route, including two nights wild camping.

She said: "The biggest challenge was the weather - especially cycling through the headwinds – and coping with the cobbled roads but I managed to push through. By the fifth day, the adrenalin had worn off and the heat set in. The scenery had become quite boring as we weren't on a cycle route at this stage, but a main road."

Zelda on her latest trip (image via Chalmers News PR)

Zelda's original cancer diagnosis triggered the start of a gruelling treatment programme and pre-emptive double mastectomy and hysterectomy. Her father's breast cancer diagnosis in the same year had prompted tests which uncovered the BRCA2 tumour supressor gene in the family.

In 2018, and just when she was clawing back confidence in her body, her health and her life as a single mother of two small children following divorce, Zelda found another lump in her neck. The cancer had metastasised into her bones and, in the words of her oncologist, this was now what she was 'going to die from.'

This was the catalyst for her new-found lust for adventure and she has taken every opportunity between treatment rounds to test her own limits, including numerous marathons, pilgrimages, cycling expeditions and Iron Man (twice!) In what some might see as an act of defiance, she even cycles to and from her hospital appointments!

It went badly wrong, however, on a recent cycling trip between São Paulo and Rio in March this year, when she was involved in a serious accident which left her with a broken neck, an injury from which she is still fully recovering.

South African-born Zelda, whose name translates as 'warrior,' fights hard every day against fatigue. She said: "Even my oncologist doesn't know how I've managed to defy the odds. I believe it's multifactorial. Staying busy, having a vision, exercising never giving up, having fun and, importantly, reframing it into something positive.

"I decided to change my fear to curiosity. It was a big change for me. Fear paralyses you while curiosity demands action. So I decided to be curious about the cancer, what effect it has on me, what I can or can't do. I accept that, in the meantime, I am a little bit more vulnerable.

"I don't actually believe in the saying, 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.' I believe 'what doesn't kill you makes you more vulnerable.' You are more aware of the things that can go wrong. Before I thought I was invincible and nothing could happen to me. I didn't even think about it. But now I know the body is both very vulnerable and very strong at the same time.

"I have always been blessed with optimism and a short memory of pain. I do get tired sometimes but South Africans are used to pushing through, it is in our history."

Zelda was cycling in aid of Cancer Research UK (image via Chalmers News PR)

The toughest bout in Zelda's cancer battle was still to be fought when, in spring last year, a scan revealed a tumour in her brain. Suddenly she was facing the bitter reality that she could not outrun this vicious disease forever.

In typical warrior spirit, she refused to accept the prognosis of at least two consultants who warned of an 80% chance of the surgery leaving her paralysed down her right side, and instead went in search of another opinion.

As a result, in June last year, she underwent 11-hour brain surgery to remove the tumour. Despite the operation being deemed a success, it brought one devastating and unexpected consequence – robbing her of her speech.

Once again adopting the defiant warrior spirit, Zelda threw herself into months of therapy to regain her speech and, just a few weeks ago, there wasn't a dry eye in the house when she bravely took up an invitation to do a reading at a friend's wedding.

Nor has it stopped her from continuing with her passion project - a podcast encouraged by friend Catherine Williamson – and inspired by her cancer story in the hope of instilling hope and positivity in others. Each episode of 'Zelda, Princess Warrior' hears from experts in the fields of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing – all factors Zelda credits in her journey to, not just survive, but thrive.

Longer term, she continues on with the immunotherapy treatment which, at least for now, is managing to keep the cancer under control. Her mission today is 'simply' to stay alive in three-month segments - the time between the dreaded scans and her oncology appointments.

She said: "One can see my cancer journey as battling for life. I don't see it like that. I am not afraid to die. I am reluctant to miss anything. But life carries on and you must miss something somewhere. During my cancer journey I just live the best I can."

Zelda was cycling in aid of Cancer Research UK. You can still donate here.