A woman who beat cervical cancer during the pandemic is now an acclaimed bodybuilder who competes around the world. Grace Guest, 32, said being a bodybuilder has 'completely changed' her life.
She dedicates 'a lot of time' to her hobby, which she juggles around her full-time role of a probation officer. Grace was delivered a cancer diagnosis in May 2020 and underwent an operation for removal of the tumour shortly after.
She was given the all-clear in July 2020. As reported by Yorkshire Live, Grace said her diagnosis came "completely out of the blue".
She said: "I had no symptoms. It was quite hard because it was during Covid, I spent a lot of it by myself.
"I do not like thinking about that time, but it just goes to show that you can turn your life around." After getting the all clear Grace contacted Tom Summers, a personal trainer who she went to school with.
She started training with him in a local gym in February, 2021. "I told him 'I really need your help, can I have some training?'," said Grace.
"I was going twice a week as I didn't really go to the gym before, so training with him was not even proper weight training at first. I was just getting back into the swing of going to a gym."
After building up her confidence, Grace decided to compete as a bodybuilder in May this year. She clinched second place in her category during her first-ever bikini competition in September.
She then travelled to Jersey where she was crowned overall bikini champion. That win meant she qualified for the British finals on October 15.
The 32-year-old placed second in Britain and was invited to represent Great Britain at the World Championships on November 20. Grace also reached the semi-finals at the Dubai Muscle Show on October 28.
She told Yorkshire Live: "I have committed this year and have been dieting since May. I thrive off the structure and like having my meals planned. I eat five times a day.
"I am on a really controlled diet, but Tom makes it really easy for me. He monitors my digestion and things like that."
Recalling her first show, and the first time she stepped on stage to compete, Grace said: "I did not know what to expect and we did not know what I was going to look like on show day. There were so many people competing.
"It was the busiest first-timer show of the year and I came second in my category. Someone said to me 'do not look at anyone in the audience, just look at the judges,' so I tried to block everyone else out.
"When I got off the stage, I knew it was for me. Your mouth hurts afterwards because you have to smile constantly!"
Grace has had to "dedicate a lot of time" to bodybuilding on top of her full-time job as a probation officer. She said: "It is not something you can just do half-heartedly.
"I have to be really honest with my coach about absolutely everything. It has completely changed my life."
But Grace's new-found success has meant she has had to make sacrifices, including completely changing her social life. "If you want it badly enough you will give up certain things," she said.
"Going out for meals is not an option for me at the moment. My family and friends are really understanding, they know it is not forever.
"I will have six or seven months [after November] where I will get some normality back." Grace will compete in her last, and perhaps biggest, meet of the year on November 20 when she will take to the stage for the World Championships.
