AN 800-miles round trip for 24-year-old Olya Edwards from Newton Abbot transported her from the worries that a cancer diagnosis brought to a carefree weekend enjoying the sights of Edinburgh.

Olya, who has undergone two operations to remove a malignant melanoma from her leg, made the memory-filled trip with husband Daniel with a little help from the national charity group Willow.

The delighted pair were given a much needed break from Olya’s frequent hospital visits and rounds of treatment.

Her life was turned upside down when she received the diagnosis earlier this year.

She has since been left with a large scar on her right leg and has had to give up her hopes of joining the armed forces.

Willow arranged the couple’s welcome break as part of its work with seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40 to give ‘uplifting and unforgettable Special Days.’

The group, co-founded by former Arsenal and England goalkeeper Bob Wilson, was delighted to arrange the Scottish venture.

A spokesman said the excursion was so much more than just a few days away as it offered ‘light at the end of the tunnel during a really difficult time, giving a renewed sense of hope and precious memories for the future.’

Olya said of the diagnosis: ‘It was very scary to think that I had no idea I had this malignant mole. I had no symptoms and was just going about my normal life.

‘After it was cut out, it struck me that this could have been so much worse. I was lucky that it was diagnosed early on.

‘That was in April and since then my life has changed completely. The things and choices that most 24-year-olds have, such as pursuing a particular career, were suddenly taken away from me and that was hard to learn to deal with.’

And she said of the interlude north of the border: ‘My family convinced me to apply for a Willow Special Day. I’m so glad that I did. I just wanted to get away and be surprised.

‘We had something nice to look forward to after what had been a busy and tough start to the year.

‘Daniel and I were planning our wedding and bought a house. Around the time of my cancer diagnosis I had to travel to Belarus to care for my sick gran.

‘Sadly, she passed away two weeks before I married Daniel in July. I also graduated from university. So after all of this, going away for a peaceful weekend in Scotland was something I really needed.’

She added: ‘I’d never been before and I didn’t know much about where we were staying or what we were doing. We had an amazing time away. We were able to just forget about everything and enjoy our time together as newlyweds.

‘Willow really did make a big difference to my life this year. It has been a tough year but I now have something amazing to remember.’

Willow has provided more than 14,000 Special Days for young adults diagnosed with a life-threatening condition such as cancer, motor neurone disease, cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s disease.