Tough husky dog adventure after Havant woman beat cancer

Having come through the other side and beaten the disease, the 27-year-old has just returned from an incredible dog sledding trip across Scandinavia.

Stevie, from Emsworth, decided halfway through her treatment that she would get well enough to make the exhausting journey from Norway to Sweden, pulled along at speeds of up to 30mph an hour by six huskies.

For up to six hours a day, for five days, Stevie stood on two thin pieces of wooden track pulled by the dogs.

She said: ‘I finished my treatment last February and in September I was told I only needed check-ups every six months.

‘But I felt well and healthy enough to do the sledding this February.

‘It was tough – one of the hardest things I’ve ever done – but one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done.

‘There is no sitting down at all and the dogs have a mind of their own!

‘It felt like we were going very, very fast, especially downhill.’

But the hardest part of the trip was not even the sledding – it was setting up camp.

Stevie said: ‘At the end of a really long, tiring day, we had to put the dogs away, set up camp and cook our own dinner.

‘There were times when the snow was so deep you were actually sinking into it. I actually slept on snow.

‘One day, with the windchill factor, it was minus 15 degrees.

‘At times I couldn’t even see the person in front of me.

‘But the dogs are very, very obedient and they follow their master at the front.’

Stevie and her fellow dog sledders travelled up to 60 miles a day,

On the final day it was an exhausting 80 miles.

She has ongoing back problems and spent the entire trip dosed up on painkillers.

They eventually arrived in Sweden and spent the night at an ice hotel.

All Stevie’s hard work paid off because she raised more than £9,000 for the charity Against Breast Cancer.

She said: ‘I’m proud I was able to raise that much.

‘In fact, I’m proud I was actually able to finish it.

‘It was quite emotional when we finally got to Sweden.

‘None of the group could believe we’d made it.

‘It was very, very tough but the most amazing trip I’ve ever done.’

To see a video of Stevie, go to portsmouth.co.uk.