A mum who treats Glasgow cancer patients is now fighting the disease herself and has been told it is incurable.
Sarah McCann is a lead advanced nurse practitioner for active oncology at Glasgow's Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. The 35-year-old dedicates her life to treating those diagnosed with the disease.
Sarah, from Paisley, Renfrewshire battled cervical cancer in 2018 and endured a radical hysterectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In 2019 she tragically lost her mum to cancer, reports the Daily Record.
Bereft Sarah's own cancer was treated and she was in remission, with regular check-ups coming back clear. But in March the mum-of-two found a lump in her neck.
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Following several tests, medics confirmed her cervical cancer had returned and was incurable. The 'strong-willed nurse' does not shy away from thinking that her 'life is ending' but insists the time she has left will not be 'on cancer's terms'.
She said: "I understand what terminal means but for me I can't lie about and think 'this is my life ending'. I am very strong willed and I am stubborn. I've got two kids. I still need to be a mum and I've got a lot to do.
"I am not going anywhere until I'm confident my kids will be able to deal with life. I'm teaching them how because life can be s**t and it is hard but it is also beautiful. I might have cancer but I'm not sick - I'm up and active."
She added: "There are people out there who live well beyond their prognosis. My life will be on my terms, not cancers terms."
Determined to watch her children, Emily 14 and Marc 10, grow up, Sarah has changed her lifestyle dramatically since diagnosis. She is now weight training as well as cutting out sugar, dairy, alcohol and red meat from her diet while she undergoes life-prolonging chemotherapy and takes a biologically targeted drug.
The doting mum has been inspired by author Jane McLelland's book How to Starve Cancer and is focusing on the beauty of living through every day.
Sarah said: "You will do all the crying and feeling sorry for yourself. Nobody can ever prepare you for the emotional rollercoaster of having cancer.
"The highs are high but the setbacks floor you. But I don't show people when I'm feeling down because I know it affects them and I don't like that."
Sarah is documenting her journey online and in a bid to inspire people recently diagnosed with cancer. You can follow her on Instagram.
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