Cancer and stroke survivor Samantha Boughen to take on gruelling obstacle course challenge

On August 18th, Clinton, Ontario's Samantha Boughen will join 10 other tough moms in her area to take on a Tough Mudder Challenge, a gruelling 16-kilometre obstacle course designed by British Special Forces to push individuals to their limit, testing strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie.

Boughen, a 31-year-old mother of two boys, decided to participate in the challenge while she was recovering from a mild stroke following radiation and chemotherapy treatments earlier in the year.

Boughen had just completed a three-month course of treatment for cancerous polyps on her intestines two weeks earlier when she had a mild stroke in her kitchen.

"It was very mild. I am lucky," she told the Mitchell Advocate, acknowledging that she should have called 911 at the first signs of the stroke instead of going to the hospital the morning after the scary incident.

While recuperating, Boughen saw a post on a friend's Facebook wall promoting the Tough Mudder Challenge.

Instead of committing alone, Boughen decided to recruit a team of tough moms to do it with her:

"I messaged some of the toughest moms I think I know," she said. "Some of them it took a little more convincing than others."

Once she committed to the challenge — and had the support of her oncologist — she started training for it, running three to five times a week, and working out at the Huron YMCA at least twice a week.

"In our house, there is no failing," Boughen told the Mitchell Advocate. "If you try, you succeed."

Boughen credits her children for inspiring her to tackle the challenge.

Fourteen-year-old Holdyn convinced her to go for it:

"He said, 'Mom, you can do anything you put your mind to,'" she said, adding that she hopes to do the challenge with her oldest son when he turns 19. "I still get choked up even thinking about it."

Thanks to a sponsorship from Samsung, Boughen has become a bit of a local celebrity in the weeks leading up to the Mudder Challenge.

"Samantha Boughen, a 31-year-old mother of two from Clinton, Ontario, is one of the toughest out there. Samsung has selected her to lead its 11-person Samsung Tough Mother team. She is a recent cancer and stroke survivor with an amazing story that inspires all," a press release states.

"This is about accomplishing something you never thought you could do. It's about crossing the finish line hand in hand," Boughen told the London Free Press, adding that no one gets left behind.

"We all finish together. If someone goes down, you could end up carrying her across the finish line."

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