Inspirational Aylesbury woman 'living life to the fullest' 13 years on from incurable stage 4 cancer diagnosis

Helen Christie was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer 13 years ago, after it spread to her bones.

Despite the incurable diagnosis, she has continued to live life to the fullest — undergoing surgeries and treatments while working, horse riding, volunteering at Stoke Mandeville’s cancer unit, and participating in community groups from drama to horticulture.

Now, aged 60 and with barely any cycling experience in the past two decades, Helen is taking on a 60km cycling challenge as part of Chris Hoy’s Tour de 4 to raise money for Breast Cancer Now.

Inspirational Helen will be joined by her husband Stephen, who describes this as very much “her challenge.”

The fundraiser highlights the importance of continuing research into breast cancer treatment.

Every few years Helen’s medication stops working, and it is only thanks to ongoing scientific advances that a new treatment is available each time.

Stephen has set up a GoFundMe page for the cycle, which – at the time of writing – has raised £595 of its £800 goal.

And he says there is no end to his wife’s appetite for new challenges.

"Thirteen years ago my amazing wife Helen was diagnosed with breast cancer and told that it had metastasized into her bones making it incurable i.e. stage 4 cancer,” Stephen said.

“It is not untreatable of course, and for these years she has undergone a variety of surgeries and treatments while continuing to work, ride (her horse) volunteer in the Stoke Mandeville cancer unit, take an active part in a breast cancer support group and the local horticultural society as well as our drama group and transform our garden.

“Not content with all of this she is looking for a new challenge and the Tour de 4 is that opportunity. So, on September 7th she will cycle the 60km route starting and ending at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow hoping to raise some money for Breast Cancer Now. I will be alongside her but the challenge is definitely hers as she has barely ridden a bicycle in the past 20 years!

“We would welcome your support and rest assured and your contribution will make an impact. Every two or three years the treatment Helen is taking stops working and she has to start something different. The continued research and development by Breast Cancer charities mean that when Helen needs a new treatment one is available and as long as she can keep ahead of the curve there's no reason she couldn't be taking on new challenges for many years to come.

"So, whether you donate a lot or a little. Anything helps.”