PILING MY PLATE WITH VEG HELPED BEAT CANCER

RESEARCHER Anna Fair, 43, was 30 when she was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer that had spread to her liver and lungs. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy — and despite having only a 10 per cent chance of surviving for another five years, she has now been cancer-free for the past ten years after adopting a healthier diet and lifestyle. Anna, who has two children, aged five and two with her partner, says:

I’D BEEN having stomach pains and losing weight for two years before I was finally diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, which was devastating, particularly as I was so young.

My cancer had spread to my liver and lungs and I was referred to Professor Thomas for treatment at Bedford Hospital.

In total, I underwent three years of chemotherapy and operations to remove my secondary liver cancer, then the tumour in my bowel. Finally, I had two operations on the secondary cancer in my lungs.

It was gruelling, but I was determined to be in the best shape for my treatment. My mum had read about the importance of having enough fruit in your diet and got me started drinking a pint of fruit juice every day.

I’d have a cocktail of different fruits such as blueberries, mangoes and strawberries without fail. This led me to eat more fruit and vegetables in general — I particularly liked broccoli. My diet wasn’t bad before, but I didn’t eat anywhere near as many vegetables. And although I didn’t eat massive amounts of processed meat back then, I very rarely eat it these days.

As a family we now eat fruit or vegetables with pretty much every meal — although it’s just simply cooked we all like carrots and sweet corn (and fortunately the children like broccoli, too).

I was a size 10, never had a weight problem and used to run two or three times a week for about three miles at the time of my diagnosis. I also took up light weight training to help me get in better condition to cope with the chemotherapy.

As my chemo progressed I wasn’t always up for running but I made sure I kept active by going for walks. The treatment made me sick and exhausted, but I stuck to my regimen. It helped to give

Survivor: Anna Fair eats fruit or veg with every meal structure and purpose to my day and made me feel I was doing something positive. The exercise also helped improve my mood and sleep. It’s now ten years since I last had treatment, although I have regular check-ups. As they became more spaced out, my overwhelming feeling was one of relief. I have the surgical scars to remind me of my cancer but it feels like a lifetime ago. My family and partner were amazingly supportive and really encouraged me to stick to the healthy life style while I was having treatment. It was reassuring to be told that my fertility would not be affected by the treatment, and I feel so lucky I was able to go on to have my two children. I now feel fit and healthy within myself but I never forget how lucky I am to be here against the odds — and even luckier to have two healthy, happy children. I’m sure that eating far more healthily and being active has helped me to stay in remission.