Tough Girl Podcast Ursula Martin - Survived Ovarian Cancer - Walked 3,700 miles in Wales. Wrote a book. Now walking 5,000 miles across Europe!
May 26, 2020
56:02
In 2011, at the age of 31, Ursula was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and later spent 17 months walking around Wales raising money and awareness of ovarian cancer. Since the walk, Ursula went on to write a book about her experience “One Woman Walks Wales”. During this podcast we learn more about Ursula’s early life, when she discovered that she did have stamina, leaving school after doing her GCSEs and spending time with her sister in Spain, as well as her kayaking journey down the river Danube with no experience. Ursula shares more about the challenges she has faced and overcome, what she has learned on the way and how she has struggle with self confidence and belief, but also why she knows she is a work in progress. After living in a van and working for a number of years to save money, Ursula at 39 was finally ready to head back out to the Ukraine to start her walk home across Europe. *Due to the Corona virus Ursula is now in lockdown in France. Ursula will continue her journey when it is safe to do so. Show notes
- Childhood memories
- Finding out that she did have stamina
- Counselling
- Deciding to go travelling at 29
- Dreaming of travelling around East Europe
- Going to live with her sister in Spain
- Kayaking down the Danube River with no kayaking experience
- Let’s just see what happens
- Being diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer (Stage 1 A) - December 2011
- Having no support and no shelter
- Staying on friends sofa’s
- Needing to have checks up’s post treatment
- Deciding to walk to hospital appointments
- Finding out she was still capable
- Deciding to raise awareness (in 2012) about Ovarian Cancer and its symptoms
- Dealing with uncertainty
- 13 months on the road walking 3,700 miles
- Dropping out of school after GCSEs
- Never thinking she was capable of writing
- Struggling with self confidence
- Getting in contact with Honno Publishing
- Why writing a book is similar to an endurance challenge
- Being a work in progress
- Deciding to walk across Europe and where the idea came from
- Planning the adventure
- “If I was going to do this, what would I need?”
- How to prepare for a challenge without getting overwhelmed by the idea of the challenge
- Leaving for Ukraine in August 2018
- Not being able to write the book and save for adventure at the same time
- Living in a van for 3 years and doing house sitting to save money
- Not being focused on luxuries
- Being determined to achieve her goals and being able to save up enough money
- Being terrible at planning
- Not picking a specific route….
- Just walking as far as she can each day - there is no judgement on distance
- Hitchhiking 3 days to the start line in Kiev in the Ukraine
- Reasons for hitchhiking
- Having one day off a week
- Starting walking as early as possible
- The route
- The impact of corona virus
- Being in full lockdown in France
- Asking for help in France and finding a place to stay
- Isolation and loneliness
- Adjusting to the new normal
- Living on the generosity of others
- The mindset on having enough
- Making the journey with a book in mind
- Trying to stay off her phone
- Writing to photos
- Keeping a healthy and happy mind and body
- How you can follow along and support Ursula
- Final words of advice
- Whatever you are is enough - whatever you can do is enough