A Heywood mum-of-three who has been given just over a year to live is determined to celebrate her daughter's 18th birthday.
Michelle Freeman, 51, was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer almost 10 years ago, and after further diagnosis, she recently received the devastating news that she has 13 months left to live.
Despite the prognosis, Michelle’s outlook remains optimistic.
She said: “I’m still out and about, enjoying what I love. Even on the bad days, I have to stay positive.
"I love walking for hours a day and eating good, healthy food."
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Michelle had a mastectomy and lymph nodes removed in 2015 and, after six rounds of chemotherapy, the surgery was a success.
She went on to have gruelling and complicated 12-hour breast reconstruction surgery three years later.
After more chemotherapy treatment, she was cancer-free for two years when a standard blood check revealed that Michelle had cancer in her pelvic area.
She underwent more surgery but the cancer had spread to her liver.
It was kept at bay for around eight months and Michelle was “back to loving life”, however, the tumours have since been unresponsive to treatment and are now “bigger than ever”.
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Michelle has chemotherapy at Bury Hospice once a week and is taking a new treatment, bevacizumab, every three weeks which may help to prolong her life and give her more precious time with her friends and family.
But the treatment costs £3,386 every session and is currently not available on the NHS.
Friend Lisa Vickers began a fundraiser for Michelle’s treatment with a goal of £59,000.
Michelle has also raised “thousands of pounds” for several charities herself in previous years after her daughter, Grace, was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer when she was just a toddler.
After receiving medical care, she was found to have two tumours and has lost all sight in her left eye despite now being cancer-free.
Michelle also has two other children, sons Tom, 33, and Ben, 24, and the life-prolonging private treatment may help her live long enough her celebrate two special family birthdays.
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Grace will be turning 18 on March 11, 2026, the same day Michelle’s dad Brendan, who lives just eight doors down from her house, turns 80.
Michelle added: “My dad is my rock. He takes me to all of my treatments and surgeries and is always there for me.
"The kids have been brilliant too and we’re arranging lots of fundraising events.
“This is my only shot at prolonging my life.
"I'm not ready to leave this world. I love life.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which considers including medicines on the NHS, has been approached for comment.
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