Mum with incurable breast cancer hopes gruelling Hyrox fitness challenge will inspire others

A mother-of-one with incurable breast cancer said she wanted to inspire others to "live their best life" - by taking on a gruelling fitness challenge.

Victoria Skinner, known as Tor, first began fighting breast cancer in 2015 at the age of just 28.

Following a mastectomy and a "gruelling" regime of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment, she was told she was in remission and went on to get married and have a "miracle baby girl" in 2019.

"They told me I couldn't have children so she is literally my miracle," she said.

But two years ago, Mrs Skinner, from Northamptonshire, was given the devastating news that the disease was back - and this time it had spread to her bones.

Now 36, the mother-of-one has been told her stage-four cancer is incurable and is in her sternum, pelvis and hip.

But while enduring weekly treatment and suffering from a constant lack of energy, she decided she had had enough.

"Something just clicked in my brain and I said 'What, I can't do that because I have cancer? No! I will not be defined by that, I will not let that hold me back - and I just found this inner strength," she said.

Mrs Skinner, who said she wanted "to live life", joined the gym and decided to train for the Hyrox Challenge - a global fitness competition designed to test participants' strength, speed, and stamina.

Victoria Skinner has taken part in the Hyrox challenge - despite being diagnosed with incurable cancer. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Over the course of six months, her coach Ruth Farmer said she was amazed by her progress.

"I step back and think about where she actually came from and it's incredible - and this has only been in the last six or seven months," she said. "It just goes to show, no matter who you are or what you're going through, you can get fitter, you can get stronger."

Together with her husband Joseph - and four-year-old daughter Isla - Mrs Skinner plans to launch a new charity, called the TorRox Foundation, to help other patients through fitness.

"The human body is incredible and you don't really know how strong you are and I just hope I can inspire others to live their best life. You can do something amazing if you believe it," she said.

The family has so far raised £31,000 - and hopes to reach a total of £40,000 - to help empower cancer patients.