Episode Details
Back to EpisodesEp 27: Diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer… She Refused to Stop Running | Robyn Bell
Description
Robyn Bell was flying.
2022 had been a golden year... PBs, momentum, everything clicking. Then, just days into 2023, she found a lump.
Within weeks, she went from parkrun to chemotherapy.
In this powerful episode of Runbelievable, Joshie sits down with Robyn to talk about what happened next; and why, despite everything, she kept running.
Through chemotherapy, major surgeries, and ongoing fatigue, running became the one thing she could control. Whilst others questioned her life choices, Robyn quietly kept showing up, often squeezing in runs before school drop-off.
This is a story about resilience, perspective, and the role running can play when life is at its most uncertain.
In this episode:
- A golden year of running before everything changed
- Finding a lump and the shock of diagnosis
- From parkrun to chemotherapy in weeks
- Choosing to keep running during treatment
- Balancing parenting, fatigue, and recovery
- Major surgeries and long-term impacts
- The mental strength behind “staying in your own lane”
Runbelievable — real runners, unreal stories.
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About Runbelievable
Runbelievable is the podcast for every runner. From your first parkrun to your 100th marathon, from walk-run intervals to dabbling in trail running, every runner has a story worth telling. Through honest conversations with runners from all walks of life, Runbelievable explores the challenges, achievements, setbacks, and experiences that connect us through running and shape who we become.