How Northampton mum with incurable cancer is planning to help others fighting the disease to find exercise

A Northampton mum-of-one who has incurable cancer is taking on an almighty challenge in a bid to raise thousands of pounds to start a charity to help other people fighting the disease to find exercise.

Tor Skinner, who is Northampton born and bred, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2015 when was only 28. After a mastectomy, six “brutal” rounds of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment, Tor was told she was in remission.

After a rough year, things were looking up and the business owner, who runs Very Special Events, got engaged in 2017, married in 2018 and then in 2019 had her “miracle” baby, Isla, after doctors told her she would not be able to have children as the cancer was too aggressive.

Unfortunately in 2021, after “indescribable” pain following reconstruction surgery, a lot more tests and confusion, Tor was told the cancer had come back and had spread to her bones. The disease had spread to her sternum, pelvis and hip, and was now classified as incurable secondary breast cancer.

The now 36-year-old said: “When I first found the lump I didn’t think anything of it as I was so young and you just kind of think you’re invincible.

“I had a 90mm tumour, which is very large. I just remember the words that will haunt me forever: ‘It’s not a good lump’.

“I don’t know how to describe it, other than devastating.

“After the reconstruction I had loads of pain. It was like nothing else. It was excruciating and it felt like bone pain. Nobody [medical professionals] could understand what the pain was.

“Alarm bells started to ring for me as I knew something was wrong.

“I remember going back into the room after the scan and I knew it was bad news. The doctor asked if my husband was with me, he wasn’t so he told me to get him on the phone and my heart sank.

“It was back and it was bad.”

After the second diagnosis, Tor went through more chemotherapy and started to feel better with the treatment. At this point she started to feel like she wanted to do some exercise to feel better in herself physically and mentally.

Tor’s husband, Joe, has trained at Empowerment Training Centre (ETC) in Freehold Street for years, but Tor thought it would not be possible for her. She says she took a lot of time to pluck up the courage to go, but has been a member since December 2022 and now trains there two to three times a week.

“In the last six months I have found that love of fitness. It has made me feel better and I can’t tell you the effect it has had on my physical and mental health,” Tor added.

“Exercise and fitness when you have cancer is not pushed through the hospital, it is getting better, but really the strength and endurance you do at ETC has been amazing.

“It is a friendly place to be a part of and it is more than just a gym. It has helped me tremendously and the owner Tim and all the coaches have helped me immensely.”

As Tor is so passionate about the positive benefits exercise can have on cancer patients, she wants to set up a charity - with the working name of ‘Quest’ or ‘Quest for Life’ - where she can help others fighting the disease to find exercise, whether that is through linking them to a gym, finding trials or subsidising memberships.

And to kick start the charity, Tor is aiming to raise thousands of pounds by completing ‘TorRox’, which will see her compete in a Hyrox Solo fitness challenge in London in November this year. The challenge consists of eight kilometres of running in addition to strength and endurance based exercises, so it is no mean feat.

“In March 2023, we all [ETC members] took a trip to Barcelona to do a Hyrox and I was the only one not competing,” Tor continued.

“I remember watching and I remember the atmosphere being incredible. I was in admiration for the strength everyone had.

“I thought I would never be able to do that, but then I thought to myself ‘why wouldn’t I be able to do it? Because I have cancer?’ which gave me the fire in my belly to do something like that and to show others that it is possible.”

Tor has started her six-month training programme for the challenge and she says some people might think that is not long enough, but she says if cancer has taught her anything it is that “life is short”.

“I don’t know how long I have got so I have to take it by the horns and grab life,” Tor added.

“I want to break down the barriers between cancer and exercise and I want to raise money to help others living with cancer to improve their quality of life through exercise and fitness.

“At one point, because of the treatment, I could not walk up the stairs without getting out of breath. To see where I was then and to see where I am now is insane. I don’t think people would believe it. I’m so passionate about it and that it does make a difference.”

The whole community at ETC is supporting Tor with her challenge and her fundraiser has already raised more than £1,000.

To get behind Tor and support her mission, donate on her JustGiving page here.