A WOMAN has told how nicknaming her hen’s egg sized tumour ‘Alf’ helped her cope with a shock cancer diagnosis at just 32.

Kirstie Storrie was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer after tests showed a lump on her neck was malignant.

However, despite the initial shock, she says that her illness and the realisation that “life was way too short,” inspired her to make a lot of positive changes.

She re-named her tumour to keep a sense of humour and and popped the question to her girlfriend Jennifer.

Kirstie, now 37, said: In October 2013 I noticed a lump in my neck.

“I had to have blood tests and they recommended a biopsy of the lump but it came back inconclusive.

“They couldn’t tell either way if it was cancer or not so the next stage was going to be a partial removal of my thyroid.

“When I next saw my surgeon he told me that the lump was malignant and I was in shock. I just genuinely couldn’t believe it.

“I had to have the rest of my thyroid taken away and I did find the second operation harder to recover from.

“In between that time and having to go into the Beatson for radioactive treatment where you can’t have any human contact.

“Fortunately the cancer hadn’t spread and my diagnosis was confirmed as minimally invasive follicular carcinoma which has a great chance of recovery.

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“One thing that really bothered me at the time was people saying that “thyroid cancer is one of the best ones to get” because no cancer is the “best” kind.

“Now I am on medication for the rest of my life and I have check-ups until I am 10 years clear.

“My life was changed immeasurably by my diagnosis and I realised life was way too short. I proposed to my wife Jennifer and we got married in 2016.”

Kirstie is training for the Simplyhealth Great Women’s Run 10k on June 10 in memory of a close friend Carol, who was diagnosed with breast cancer around the same time but died within two years.

She will join thousands of women, taking part in the UK’s biggest women-only race which follows a 6.2mile route around the city’s scenic West End.

Kirstie said: “Carol was one of the most amazing people I have ever met and fought her illness with such courage and grace that I wanted to give something back to the place that helped her.

“If she spoke about what she was going through she used to say she had an “ongoing health issue” and I never heard her complain.

“I remember saying to her once that I knew my cancer wasn’t as bad as hers and she said it wasn’t “any better or worse, it was just different”.

“I entered the 10k event as a challenge to myself but as my Mum loves running it’s become something we do together, as well as support a very important cause.”

“Carol was cared by St Andrew’s Hospice towards the end of her life so as part of her legacy I wanted to do something for her.

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“I know that St Andrews offer a free service and have a requirement to raise money through fundraising to keep going.

“My training at the moment consists of walking my dog and running short bursts but the real work will begin when my Mum takes me out and helps me set my pace.

“I’m not a natural runner so every time I struggle with it or I stand at the start of the 10k and think I can’t do this I remember how much Carol and some of my family members have fought so hard against their illnesses and I get over myself.”

Enter the Simplyhealth Great Women’s Run at: Greatrun.org/Womens

To sponsor Kirstie go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kirstie-storrie2