A woman who was told she was going to die was saved by her ex-husband's new wife.
Nicola Hitchen was told by doctors that there was nothing they could do to treat her stage four cervical cancer four months ago.
But Nicola has vowed not to give up and thanks to a massive fundraising effort organised by Clare Hichen - her ex-husband's new wife - has flown to Turkey to undergo pioneering chemotherapy.
Thanks to the chemo her tumour has almost completely disappeared and now the family are trying to raise an additional £50,000 to finish the treatment.
Nicola with her sons. Credit: Cascade News
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Forty-one-year-old Nicola, who has two children, has already undergone five 10-day session at the centre in Istanbul costing £80,000.
Clare said: "Joe and Jake are my stepsons. Niki is my husband's ex-wife and amazing Mum to Joe and Jake.
"Niki continues to put them first throughout all of her treatment. Joe and Jake are also amazing big brothers to our 3-year-old daughter and she adores them as they do her.
"Money is running out and Niki may not be able to continue with her life-saving treatment.
"This is not an option - the boys need their mum and she deserves the chance to watch them grow into men and have their own families."
Nicola said: "I'm completely overwhelmed - everyone especially Claire has been amazing. I didn't think people liked me that much!"
Nicola was admitted into hospital with pains in her abdomen, and was told she had a pelvic abscess and sepsis. Further tests revealed that she had a tumour in her cervix, but doctors were unable to treat it until the infection had gone, which too seven weeks and saw the cancer worsen from stage two to stage four. She was told it was untreatable.
"I was very scared when they told me," said Nicola.
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"It was such a shock. It proved really difficult to get rid of the abscess and, by the time the infection had gone I was told it was too late to treat the cancer."
Clare Hitchen's has helped raise thousands for treatment for her husband's ex-wife. Credit: Cascade News
"Getting a diagnosis like that you can respond in one of two ways. Either you accept this is what's happening and sort your affairs out - or you start looking at other options. The first wasn't an option for me."
She began researching cancer treatments and came across the ChemoThermia centre in Istanbul, which offers pioneering treatments.
She began the treatment in July and has sine been told the primary tumour in her abdomen has almost gone and others in her liver and spine have also shrunk. However, a secondary tumour in her lungs has appeared.
The fundraising page Clare set up has already raised £7,635. You can donate here.
Nicola said: "The support I've been given is phenomenal, not just from my family but from complete strangers too."
Featured Image Credit: Cascade News