A grandmother says she is “cracking on with life” after being diagnosed with an incurable cancer.

Nina Clancy was told she had a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma – the same time her own mum Beryl was discovered to have lung cancer.

Sadly Beryl’s cancer was too advanced and doctors were unable to treat her.

She died while Nina, from Minster-on-Sea, underwent her treatment and was told her cancer was incurable.

The 58-year-old works at the Turkey Mill Business Park in Maidstone, and with her husband Steven they have three children and five grandchildren.

Her poor health dates back to 2014 when she was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia – a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.

She said: “My symptoms weren’t typical of fibromyalgia and I was back and forth to the doctors, to the hospital, and different clinics for years.

“I think I must have been to just about every department in Medway Hospital.”

In 2019, Nina was also diagnosed with urticaria and was referred to a dermatologist.

More tests followed, but all the results seemed inconclusive. However, in June 2022 she was referred to Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) for a scan.

It turns out Nina had Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia, also known as lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma.

“The doctor saw a lump in my neck and said ‘given what you’ve got, it’s not a surprise to find that’,” she explained.

“I asked what she meant by ‘what I had got’. She was shocked that no-one had told me and said I had lymphoma.

She added: “My cancer is very rare, only around 450 people in the country are diagnosed with it each year and I was told the typical person is male and over 65.”

After the diagnosis, she was treated with rituximab and cyclophosphamide – drugs which Cancer Research UK helped develop.

She said: “On the day I was having my treatment, I was told my mum had passed away from lung cancer.

“Mum had smoked all her life and was 91 so they couldn’t treat her.

“The last year has been a whirlwind but now I’m cracking on with my life...”

“It was really sad but she had a good innings.”

Nina finished her chemotherapy at the end of September and is now on a management programme.

“I’ll be on that for the rest of my life and I don’t know if that will be five years, 12 years, or 30 years,” she added.

“The consultants don’t know how long I’ve had it and how long I’ve got. The last year has been a whirlwind but now I’m cracking on with my life.

“I’m a busy person – I love my grandchildren and my family, I love my job and I ride my motorbike to work.

“My daughter Louise is getting married in 2025 and I’m hopefully going on a safari to South Africa, so I have lots to look forward to.”

Last year Nina walked 10,000 steps every day in March and raised £900 for Cancer Research UK. The grandmother is also about to start her role as an ambassador for the charity.

“You know the cancer is there but you have to try to put it out of your head,” she said.

“I’m living with cancer. People at work tell me I’m amazing and I should be at home resting.

“I rest when I need to but I’m one of life’s fighters and I like being busy!”

“Research into better treatments has given me the greatest gift – more time with my loved ones.”

Cancer Research UK is currently calling on all political parties to make cancer a top priority in their party manifestos.

Ahead of the next general election, the charity has published a plan that outlines five key missions to speed up progress in preventing, diagnosing and treating the disease.

You can sign the open letter to party leaders by clicking here.

Nina added: “Research into better treatments has given me the greatest gift – more time with my loved ones.

“I simply wouldn’t be here without the scientists who strive to find new ways to outsmart the disease and the incredible NHS staff who treated me. ”