A young mother who has autism and ADHD was recently diagnosed with a rare cancer and will have her right leg amputated as part of her treatment.
Samantha Hill, 21, who has a four-year-old daughter, will also have to move from her existing home in Kirkby-in-Ashfield to a new house after the operation, as she was told her current home with her mother is not suitable.
Ms Hill has been diagnosed with clear-cell chondrosarcoma, a rare form of soft tissue bone cancer.
The diagnosis came after she'd been in pain in her right side for around two years.
The diagnosis process started in September last year, when her GP sent her for an X-ray which showed lesions.
She was then sent to have an MRI scan, which showed she had a tumour.
The only way her life can be saved now is with a hindquarter amputation, which will take place in Birmingham on Wednesday (February 16).
That means Ms Hill's right leg will be amputated, along with the connecting part of her pelvis and hip.
She said: "I'm very frightened right now as this is a life-changing operation.
"But I'm going to get through this so I can watch my daughter grow up.
"Please be persistent if you feel you are not right, and don't allow yourself to be fobbed off.
"Thank you so much to all my well wishers and supporters."
Ms Hill has lived with mum Marina Wheeler, 48, a community nurse in Mansfield, all her life.
Ms Wheeler said: "She's my best friend and she's a fantastic mum to her four-year-old, she's my permanent fixture and she's always with me.
"She's having tearful moments, she's frightened of dying and leaving her daughter behind.
"It's a big thing for anyone to go through, let alone someone with autism and ADHD, it's an even bigger thing for her."
Ms Hill is the youngest of four siblings.
The family home was deemed not to be suitable for Ms Hill after her surgery, as there are too many steps and the doors will not be wide enough for her wheelchair, according to an assessment team.
Ms Wheeler will move in with Ms Hill in anew home and will give up her job as a nurse to look after her daughter.
The new home needs redecorating before they can move in, though.
Ms Wheeler said: "I will give this house up to look after her, I want her to be comfortable.
"I've always been a full time worker and I'm having to find out about the different things I'm entitled to, which is a big worry for me.
"I would like to stay working, even if it's part-time, as I love being a nurse, but my daughter comes first before anything else.
"I want to create awareness of this sort of cancer, as if it was caught sooner, I don't think we'd be in the situation we're in now.
"I don't want anyone else to go through what we are, it's just a nightmare of events, if I could go back and change it, I would."
Ms Hill was studying animal care at college before giving birth to her daughter, and is hopeful of taking that up again after treatment.
Ms Wheeler's mother was also diagnosed with cancer just before Christmas, and is awaiting keyhole surgery in hospital.
Ms Wheeler said: "It's a tricky procedure, and she might or might not pull through, but she doesn't want to worry me."
Nick Lawlor, 50, a photographer and close family friend who 'acts like a father' to Ms Hill, has set up a JustGiving page to help the family cover living expenses.
A goal of £10,000 has been set, with hundreds donated at the time of writing.
Mr Lawlor and Ms Wheeler knew each other from 30 years ago, and lost touch, but he then sent her a message after recognising her name on social media in August 2020.
They started to chat and Mr Lawlor and his family became very close with Ms Wheeler and Ms Hill.
Mr Lawlor acts like a father figure to Ms Hill.
He said: "We take the mick out of each other, and one day I told her to pack something in and she said 'yes, dad'; when she's in a good mood she'll pick on me.
"We got closer and I do think of her as my daughter now, and me and Marina are best friends too.
"I'm gutted, even after she's gone through all this, there's the chance it could come back.
"I wanted to set the page up to help take the pressure off them."
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