A young woman who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer has celebrated Christmas with her family early this year after finding out that her tumour has spread.
22-year-old Laura Nuttall, from Lancashire, was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme - an aggressive form of brain cancer - in 2018 after going for a routine eye test and was told she had just 12 months to live.
She's now been living with terminal cancer for four years and recently underwent her fourth major surgery.
But her family decided to bring Christmas forward this year after Laura was told that the tumour had already grown back and moved to other parts of her brain just two weeks after the surgery.
Laura is currently undergoing two weeks of intense emergency radiotherapy and the family decided to celebrate early because they don't know how this will affect her.
Laura's mum Nicola told BBC Breakfast: "We've kind of got one chance with this radiotherapy and we don't know how Laura's going to feel at the end of it or whether it's going to leave her with lasting side effects so we just thought rather than wait we'll just bring Christmas forward."
Nicola shared a picture from the family's festive celebration on Sunday to Twitter, writing: "Yesterday wasn’t about cancer or life expectancy, it was about crackers and turkey and silly games.
"It was about love and gratitude and most of all it was about family."
She also shared more pictures in the lead-up to the Christmas celebrations, including a fully decorated Christmas tree and festive table set-up.
She Tweeted on Sunday: "All set for the big day, thank you so much to everyone who’s helped to make #AChristmasforLaura
"We’re blessed by our wonderful friends, some we’ve met, some we haven’t, but all hugely appreciated.
"It may sound strange in these circumstances but we are lucky in so many ways".
The family received dozens of cards and presents as well as a Christmas feast donated by Marks and Spencer.
The early Christmas celebration comes shortly after Laura and her family were taken to lunch by renowned comedian Peter Kay.
The comic, who recently came out of retirement, has been supporting the family through this tough time and treated them to lunch at a Michelin-starred pub in Burnley.
Nicola told her Twitter followers about the sweet gesture, writing: "Today’s joy has been a very special treat, the most wonderful lunch at @whiteswan_fence with #PeterKay for company. Laughter won’t cure #Glioblastoma but it’s definitely a blimmin’ good distraction for a couple of hours".
Kay performed for the first time in four years in 2021 as he hosted a sold-out gig at Manchester’s O2 Apollo to raise money for Laura to have immunotherapy treatment in Germany.
Since receiving her heartbreaking diagnosis, Laura has been busy ticking off an incredible bucket list.
So far she had ticked off a variety of items on her ever-growing list, including commanding a Royal Navy warship, presenting a BBC weather forecast, meeting Michelle Obama, operating a crane and sitting in a Red Arrows jet.
Laura was diagnosed with stage four cancer when she was just 18 years old and in her first year at University College London.
She was forced to leave university in London to focus on her treatment but after starting immunotherapy treatment in Germany she was able to restart her studies and joined the University of Manchester.
Despite being given a prognosis of just 12 months, Laura was able to defy the odds and lived to celebrate her graduation in July this year, achieving a 2:1 in politics, philosophy and economics.
Laura has also become an ambassador for The Brain Tumour Charity and her family say that they have been an incredible support.
