Paddleboarder triumphs after cancer diagnosis

Ginnie Betts won two gold medals and a silver at the 2026 Stand Up Paddling World Championships in Italy [BBC]A newly crowned world champion paddleboarder who is recovering from breast cancer has said she hopes to inspire others.Ginnie Betts, 52, from Ludgvan, Cornwall, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in September 2025 and underwent three operations, the most recent in February.Betts continued to train despite her diagnosis and went on to compete at the Stand Up Paddling World Championships in Italy along with 920 other participants from across the world. She won two gold medals and a silver in masters events. Betts said she was "completely stoked" with the achievement and viewed the cancer diagnosis as an injury she needed to recover from.More news stories for CornwallListen to the latest news for CornwallBetts, who only started the sport at 40, has become a well-established GBSUP racer and has represented her country at three world championships.She won gold in both the 100m sprint over-50s and 12km long distance over-50s (12km) events, as well as silver in the technical heats over-50s.Betts said the cancer was caught at an early stage but it was still a "lengthy treatment procedure" which "took a strain" on her body."When adversity hits, I try to meet it with strength and not resignation - and make something good out of something difficult," she said.'Keep believing'Betts said the goal of competing on the world stage was "an important mental and psychological strategy" to help her "deal with the shock of the diagnosis". "One of the things that was very important to me was to set a goal for after cancer," she said. She said she "trained in earnest" and "exercise and good nutrition really helped me get through the whole cancer experience".Betts said the win was "extra special" because of the support shown by friends and family who understood the significance of the achievement for her. She urged others in similar situations to stay positive."A lot of the fight is mental as well as physical - keep believing you can get yourself through this and set yourself a goal," she said.Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. More on this story Devon's Buchanan retains world paddling titleWorld Team GB spot for stand up paddleboarderDevon to host Stand Up Paddling World Cup in 2026