Dawn Williams is a mum of three and an Olympic weightlifter. She is also a campaigner for exercising throughout cancer treatment to get the best possible chance of recovery. And this is all before we even touch on her full-time job in life sciences. 

Dawn and I met by chance on a train when I was travelling to a gig. We got talking and I knew I wanted to share her amazing story with you.

In the podcast we talk about the way Dawn faced her breast cancer diagnosis, not long after becoming a single mum, how she talked to her children about having breast cancer, and how they supported her and kept a mini fridge and a snack box stocked in her room, for any time she needed to be on her own. 

Dawn carried on training, and even became stronger throughout her treatment. She also told me about recent research which shows that carrying on exercising may reduce the risk of cancer coming back. 

Dawn is now cancer-free and trains 5 times a week before coming home to the place she and her children call Team Dawn. 

Was it the fact that she’s an ex-paramedic or that she has 5 gold medals and can snatch 45 kilos that made me feel very safe in her presence? Either way, I very much did!

Here's to more conversations on trains!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

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