I was diagnosed at 36 in 2012 with a 10cm tumor in my rectum. Unbelievably, there was NO pain or discomfort and no visible bleeding.

Went to the doctor with tiredness and started with blood tests to check for low iron, then 3 stool samples all positive.

I started radiation and chemotherapy not long after my colonoscopy and had tumor removed and an ileostomy for 10 months. Cancer was found in lymph nodes and travelled to my lungs. Was on chemo from 2013 - 2015 then opted for a lung re section in Feb 15, where 3 nodes were taken out (the other 2 were too small).

Remained on chemo from 2015 - 2018 pretty much non-stop and early last year the nodules doubled and tripled in size so change of chemos which gave me severe side effects. After changing chemos, I found I could only tolerate a 70% dose because having always worked full time; I wanted to continue doing so and to live as normally as possible.

Have just had another lung re section to remove the other 2 nodes.

Nearly 8 years of pretty much constant treatment has been exhausting, so with these gone, it will enable me to have a break from chemo, but I will continue to have scans to monitor as we know this is stage 4 and will pop back up at some stage - but praying the one day is a very long time away.

I have remained nothing but optimistic for myself and my daughter. She has lived this since she was 6 and is my rock.

This can totally be beaten and I plan to beat it!

It has brought me so much positivity and the need to live life to the full. I always having something booked to look forward to, whether it’s a weekend away, tickets to a show or a holiday.

Keep going my fellow fighters, we’ve got this.