Personal trainer shares 'healthy' looking photo taken just hours before cancer diagnosis

A young and seemingly fit personal trainer has shared a photo of herself taken just hours before she was diagnosed with stage four-lung cancer, despite looking perfectly healthy.

Cheltenham woman Vicky Veness, who describes herself as a non-smoker, said doctors had brushed off her symptoms as asthma before eventually diagnosing her 18 months later.

In a heartbreaking post, she shared an image that depicted a fit, healthy and happy 30-year-old to prove that just because you have cancer doesn’t necessarily mean you will “look ill on the outside”.

“This photo was taken a few hours before I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. I'm 30 years old, a personal trainer, runner, non smoker and healthy eater,” she wrote on Facebook.

“When you have cancer you won't necessarily look ill on the outside. The symptoms might be much more subtle and only show themselves occasionally.

“Unfortunately my symptoms were brushed off as asthma by many general practitioners.

The fitness fanatic said because she looked the image of health, friends and medical experts dismissed her health concerns.

“The moral of the story is this, if you feel unwell for whatever reason, it doesn't matter how silly you might think it might be, see your doctor, question everything and keep going back until you get the answers you need.

“This has been the most emotionally and physically challenging week of my life, but now it's time to fight this."

Not one to turn down a fight, the brave trainer said she is looking forward to the fight ahead and has vowed to beat her cancer diagnosis.