A young mum who has stage 4 bowel cancer initially thought her bloating and abdominal pains were caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Delilah May, 27, who lives with her three-year-old son Jake in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, is now trying to raise awareness about the early symptoms of the disease.
In March last year, she began feeling unwell and experiencing bloating.
But by July, her symptoms had worsened, with severe back pain setting which paracetamol "would not touch".
"I've had bloating throughout my whole adult life so I thought it was just IBS or something but it would not go away," Delilah told LancsLive.
"Then I was getting pains in my back and sharp pains in my abdomen which was stopping me from being a mum.
"I couldn't go on the floor and play with my son and do things with him.
"Then one day at work my boss asked if I was okay and I just burst out crying and he sent me home and I went to see a doctor.
"I was in tears and begging for help - but they just sent me home with painkillers."
Delilah, who was 26 at the time, described how she felt "tossed around" and "no one cared" about what she was going through.
However, it was in July last year that her symptoms started getting worse and the young mum started vomiting "at least once a week."
Delilah added: "I was losing so much weight, to the point that my neighbour wondered if I had an eating disorder.
"I was being sick all the time and I was sat in my car one day and I realised I was scared of how I was going to wake up feeling each day.
"I went to another hospital and they were quick on the ball to get some scans done and pretty much from the beginning, said it was probably cancer.
"After my biopsy, I was only home for two nights before I started throwing up stuff I shouldn't and I felt an intense pressure in my head and my arms felt weak and numb.
"That's when I knew something was seriously wrong and I went to hospital and had my stomach drained and a stoma put in which I was told saved my life."
Delilah said the doctors are not certain, but believe it is bowel cancer.
She added she wants to raise awareness because she didn't have any blood in her stool - which is a common symptom - because the tumour was blocking her bowel, preventing her from using the loo.
At the beginning of last month, Delilah was given the devastating prognosis that she had only 18 months left to live.
As a result, her employer The Ship Inn at Haskayne, near Ormskirk, are hosting a fundraiser on June 25 to raise money for Delilah to "make memories with her son."
The pub will be hosting a ticketed live music event, starting at 3pm with a disco and various games.
There will also be hot food available and the opportunity to raise as much money as possible for Delilah and her family, with all funds going directly to them.
Delilah said: "That pub treats you like family and I just have absolutely no words for what they've decided to do for me.
"They are giving me the chance to make memories with my son and I think it's great and it's overwhelming that people want to donate."
Tickets for the event are priced at £10 and more information will be posted onto The Ship Inn's Facebook page.
Alongside a photo of Delilah and her son Jake, a pub spokesperson posted: "This is our beautiful Delilah May and her little boy Jake.
"A valued and much loved member of the Ship family and a devoted mother.
"Tragically recently Delilah fell ill and was given the news no young woman should ever hear.
"She was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, Delilah is as brave as a lion and is battling with all she has for the sake of her son. And so on Saturday, June 25, we will be having a fund raising day at The Ship reflecting Dees love of Music with Live music starting at 3pm and disco all day/night, raffles, play your cards right, hot food and other stuff going on to raise as much money as we can to help our beloved Dee.
"Musicians already supporting and confirmed are Scallywag.
"This will be a ticketed event with tickets being £10pp every penny raised on the day will go directly to Delilah and her boy to maybe help them make some precious memories.
"Details on how to buy your tickets will be announced very soon. Thank you in advance for your support."
