Triathlete Zoe Spain had face cut in half to remove tumour makes recovery Zoe Spain, 29, is a personal trainer and triathlon coach from Surrey Doctors found satsuma-sized tumour on top of spine beneath brain in 2011 A month before she'd competed in British Cross Triathlon Championships Thought the pain she felt was result of a fall off a horse in 2008 Had intensive surgery to remove tumour that involved cutting face in half As soon as she was given the all-clear she signed up for London Marathon Is now determined to represent Great Britain at some point Irritating pains in her head were just something Zoe Spain had learned to live with, ever since falling off her horse in 2008. And in October 2011 - having just competed in the British Cross Triathlon Championships at Hawley Lake in Surrey - the personal trainer and a triathlon coach, 29, felt like fitness personified. But that month Zoe, from Surrey, would be given the devastating news that she not only had cancer, but that there was a tumour the size of a satsuma growing on top of her spine, just beneath her brain. Over the next year Zoe would undergo surgery that involved her face being cut in half to remove the tumour, followed by gruelling radiotherapy. Yet nothing has stopped the sports fanatic; having now made a full recovery she is back at the top of her athletics game and determined to one day compete for Great Britain. Personal trainer and triathlete Zoe Spain, 29, from Surrey, was diagnosed with cancer in October 2011, and as soon as she was given the all-clear she signed up for the London Marathon Zoe now, left, and when she was in hospital undergoing treatment for cancer in 2011 and 2012, right Speaking to Jessica Bradley in Triathlon Plus magazine, Zoe said: 'I'll never forget the life-changing moment when my doctor told me I had cancer. I was so young and had so many things I still wanted to do with my life. So many dreams that I had yet to fulfil. I felt so helpless, lost and alone. I just cried - I thought I was going to die. At the time of her horse riding accident Zoe had had an MRI scan, but doctors missed the tumour and Zoe continued to control the pain using painkillers and private physiotherapy treatments. But eventually a trip to an NHS doctor flagged up the tumour. Weirdly, my tongue was the big giveaway: whenever I stuck it out, it used to rotate 90 degrees to the left. It was normal to me, but the nurse seemed pretty shocked and gave me a CT scan. When doctors informed her about the satsuma-sized tumour Zoe says the hardest part was not being told whether she would live or die. No one knew. I just cried - I thought I was going to die Over the next year, Zoe underwent two major operations to remove the tumour - the first of which involved cutting her face in half to access the huge lump. 'Thankfully my face didn't look too bad after the operation, and I was just grateful I was alive,' she said. After a second operation fluid began leaking out of her spine - which would have been potentially lethal if it reached her brain - so surgeons had to insert a drain in her back, leaving her in agonising pain and unable to walk for a month. Eight weeks of radiotherapy followed, sapping Zoe of all her energy, but in July 2012 she was finally given the all-clear... and immediately signed herself up for the London Marathon to raise money for Children with Cancer. 'Life may seem awful but tomorrow is another day and you'll get through it. Life is precious and you really don't know when your time will be up, so it's importortant to make every day count' 'Sport is my solace, my savinggrace,' she said. I needed a new focus. Cancer had consumed my life for the previous 18 months and I wanted something to look forward to. I guess I wanted to test my body again, too. Zoe finished the marathon in 4:20 and raised over £5,000. 'I was so emotional when I crossed the finish line,' she says. 'I couldn't believe that just 10 months previously I couldn't walk. It just goes to prove that anything really is possible. Zoe, who is soon getting married, is now determined to qualify as an age-grouper for the Xterra WorldChampionship and represent Great Britain. And her advice for young sportsmen? 'Never give up,' she says. Life is precious and you really don't know when your time will be up, so it's importortant to make every day count.' Read the full interview in Triathlon Plus, out on Tuesday 20th August Zoe ran the London marathon for Children With Cancer UK