An Armagh personal trainer has been hailed as 'inspirational' after beating cancer to win her first bodybuilding title in the space of two years.
Joanne Sheppard was named Best Overall Female and Miss Figure at the British Natural Bodybuilding Federation (BNDF) Northern Ireland heats last Sunday.
Remarkably, It was the 50-year-old's first-ever bodybuilding competition. The win qualifies her for the British finals in September.
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Sunday's win was an emotional peak on what has been a rollercoaster journey for Joanne, who exactly two years ago completed chemotherapy treatment after having surgery for ovarian cancer.
The mother-of-four shared her story on social media following her weekend success, admitting that training had been her "salvation".
Joanne told Belfast Live: "Sunday was a brilliant experience. It was a small competition but to win was special.
"That gets me through to the big final in Coventry later this year. If I place in that one it would be incredible, because that is a really tough competition.
"The top two in all the regional competitions go through to that final, so I will be against the best.
"Sunday was a very relaxed event. I was very nervous beforehand, but once I was on stage the nerves washed away and I gave it a good go.
"Then I heard my family and friends in the background cheering, and it gives you an instant endorphin release. It was great.
"That was my first competition. I trained 16 weeks for it, but I have always wanted to do one.
"It was just never the right time before. The kids were either too young, and then Covid hit.
"Then I just decided let's do this, and off we went. The training was easy because I love training.
"It has helped me get through some sticky periods in my life, including cancer."
Joanne, from Magheralin, added: "It was quite emotional. It was a small competition but it was an achievement and I completed something I always wanted to do.
"And I saw the photos and couldn't believe it was actually me on that stage. The kids were speechless, and my son was taking the hand out of me because of the excessive tan.
"I celebrated with a Subway sandwich, and lots of buns. My daughter is a baker so I had about four or five buns!"
Joanne doesn't count training and fitness as a 'chore' or obligation. It's part of her daily routine.
"I love it. Training is like brushing my teeth," she says.
The PT - who works out of GymCo Finaghy - has lifted weights since she was 16, taking inspiration from her father Joseph Sheppard, a successful weightlifter who represented Northern Ireland at two Commonwealth Games.
Resilience is embodied in her DNA, a fighting spirit Joanne had to draw upon after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer two years ago.
She said: "When I was diagnosed it was a complete shock. I had no symptoms at all.
"A routine blood test picked up my levels of iron and they investigated that. And when I eventually had surgery to remove the cancer, I still couldn't accept I had what they told me I had.
"My body was not showing signs of cancer. My blood markers weren't showing signs of cancer.
"When I was diagnosed I cried that night, but that was it. The next day I got up and just said, 'Right, what do I have to do here?'.
"And I just trained the whole way through it. I have four kids and it was tough telling them.
"Everyone hears about cancer and immediately they think about death. My kids were shocked and I needed to show them that whatever life throws at you, if you look after your body and you are positive in your head, then you can deal with it.
"I was very lucky. My cancer was stage 2, and I was quite lucky to catch it at that stage.
"They told me the chances of this recurring would be reduced to less than 10 per cent if I took chemo. They offered me the treatment, and I realised that I had to give myself the best chance.
"I have four children and they were my driver. So I had six sessions of chemo, each lasting six hours, every three weeks until it finished in June 2021.
"It was a scary time. It was the not knowing.
"But as soon as I went into hospital the nurses were outstanding, and they eased your mind.
"I never feared for myself or thought I was going to die. I just said 'what next?'.
"I never said 'what if?'. My bloods were going in the right direction, and the nurse said my fitness stood me in good stead."
It took more than cancer and chemo to floor Joanne, a self-confessed fitness addict.
During her recovery she was regularly doing hill sprints and walking thousands of steps a day.
"I was getting chemo on Tuesday and then doing hill sprints at the Mary Peters Track on Wednesday," she said.
"Thursday was the same. On Saturday I just walked as I wouldn't have felt well that day.
"I hit 35,000 steps on a Saturday and just walked and walked. The doctor said do what you can do.
"That's what I did. If I didn't have my training I would have been floored, I know I would have.
"I believe my fitness background got me through it. I have been a fitness fanatic since I was about 16.
"My dad was my hero, as all dads should be to their kids. He represented Northern Ireland at two Commonwealth Games and was heavily involved in weightlifting.
"He was the big boy in weightlifting, and since the age of 16 all I knew was my daddy out in the garage training. I then did the courses he did and I kept learning and improving.
"He was a great font of knowledge and he inspired me. And strength and weights have always been part of the plan for me, always."
Joanne went through six sessions of extensive chemotherapy treatment, each visit lasting 6-7 hours.
"You would have chemo and then do your bloods every three weeks, but there were various delays which kept it going until June,`" she said.
"I met so many amazing women during that time. Women whose cancer had returned for the second, third, fourth time.
"I just admired them so much. They are incredible women.
"Chemo is very intrusive, and it is a big ordeal. I was in the hospital sitting for seven hours some days.
"You had to get your veins warmed up and bloods done, on top of the treatment. It was also during Covid and I had to go in on my own, like every other patient did.
"There was a great sense of solidarity and we all shared stories. I love listening to people.
"I find it very therapeutic. It is about a connection, and I believe that is more important now than it's ever been.
"But the treatment was tight. I lost my hair which was interesting.
"I remember going back to GymCo when the gyms opened again, and I didn't tell anyone I was going through chemo.
"I wore a wig and I remember everyone saying how much my hair had grown. But I didn't want people to know.
"It is maybe silly, but I didn't want people looking at me and feeling sorry and having to tiptoe around the conversation.
"I just wanted it to be as normal as possible. Then it just came out, and the wig eventually came off.
"I was so comfortable in GymCo. I love that gym and the people in it.
"They are lovely people and they kept me going as well. I didn't mind the bald look, even though I had no option!"
Joanne says she learned a lot about herself during her cancer ordeal.
She admits to shedding tears the night she was diagnosed, but she quickly turned her focus to treatment and recovery.
"I learned how resilient I am. The determination I have," she said.
"It empowered me and I really connected with myself, physically and mentally. I had to talk to myself in a positive way and reinforce positive thoughts only.
"There were times when I was tired, but I never really thought to myself, 'I need to go and lie down'.
"You realise at moments like these just how deep you can go. I wanted to show my kids that you can get through most things.
"Life can be cruel, but you have to stay positive and determined. I maybe don't appreciate the inner strength I have."
Joanne now hopes her story, and bodybuilding success, can inspire other people who are going through cancer treatment or other illnesses.
She said: "I was overwhelmed by the reaction to my social media post. I was just trying to show I am the same woman with the same mindset.
"But people have been so encouraging, and appreciative of what I went through.
"I have had people come up to me who have had cancer or going through cancer treatment and there is that connection. They say they have seen my story and that I am inspirational, and I always play it down.
"But it is overwhelming. It might inspire some people who are going through treatment or struggling.
"One in two people will get cancer during their lifetime. It is a mad statistic.
"I never thought cancer would come to my door. I have no family history of it, but you just don't know."
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