Ann-Sofie had to fly home from holiday because she couldn’t go to the toilet, then doctors made a life-changing discovery
An ultrafit and healthy woman who suddenly found she couldn’t go to the toilet for three weeks while on holiday on Turkey has been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, aged 55. Ann-Sofie Byberg has now undergone major surgery and has a colostomy bag – but has refused to let that stop her bodybuilding.
Ann-Sofie said: “We were on a long holiday in Turkey, but after only two weeks, I had real problems going to the toilet. I tried everything, but nothing worked. After three weeks, I could only drink. We decided to fly home because something was really wrong.”
Back home, doctors confirmed her worst fears. “In January 2024, I got the answer: I had a 10cm tumour growing into my vagina. Stage 4 colon cancer,” she said. “Thousands of questions rushed through my head. Am I going to live? What happens now? My husband and I talked about different scenarios, trying to prepare ourselves for what was coming. There were many tears.”
By March 2024, Ann-Sofie underwent surgery to receive a colostomy, and by April, she was enduring 27 days of chemotherapy and radiation. She describes the treatments as brutal, admitting that even for someone as physically strong as her, the pain was almost unbearable. “I can honestly say that my stoma-my ‘life bag’-was the smallest problem,” she said. “The chemo and radiation, that was really hard. Not at first, but as the weeks went on, I couldn’t move. My world shrank. By June, I was bedridden, and everything below was a mess. I had inflammation in my bladder, so much pain. I was on over 50mg of morphine three times a day.”
Radiation didn’t just damage the tumour-it also severely affected her healthy organs, leaving her with large holes between her vagina and colon. Now, she is facing another major operation in April 2025 to repair the damage. “They will remove the vaginal wall connected to the colon, amputate my anus, and rebuild a new vaginal wall using pieces of my gluteus muscles,” she explains. “I know I will be bedridden again and have to rebuild my strength from scratch. But I hope this will give me a little more time.” Ann-Sofie was determined to reclaim her strength. As soon as she was physically able, she began training again, despite starting from square one. “It was like being a beginner again-light weights, just feeling my body manage,” she said.
“But after about three months, I was back to the same strength as before. Then me and my team travelled to Sweden’s biggest fitness event in Stockholm, and I jumped up on stage, competing in the championship for body press. I took third place.” Adjusting to life with a stoma was another challenge, but Ann-Sofie tackled it with her signature humour. “At first, I thought, hell no, I don’t want this! But once I got it, I realised-it’s not so bad,” she said. “I can poop whenever I want. I never need a toilet for pooping anymore. That’s me, I always try to find something good in bad times. “I think my energy and mindset help a lot. I’m not a sad girl. I don’t overthink. I deal with problems when they come. And of course, I want to be on stage again-that feeling is magic! But one step at a time.”
With a major operation ahead, Ann-Sofie knows there will be more challenges, but she refuses to let them define her. Whether it takes months or years, she is determined to get back on stage, proving that cancer, surgeries, and setbacks are no match for her fighting spirit. “The doctors say because I was so well-trained before, I recovered quickly. So I hope it will be the same this time,” she said. “I love the fitness life, and I will keep fighting.”
