Gillian McCombe will never forget the day she found out she had the illness that killed Big Brother star Jade Goody.

The 23-year-old was at home on her own last April when she got a call from Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital telling her she had cervical cancer.

Gillian said: “I just started screaming and phoned my mum and said: ‘I’m going to die’. Jade Goody had just died a few weeks before.”

Incredibly, Gillian, from Paisley, had four abnormal smear tests over two years starting when she was 20 –but they had never been explored further as she was so young.

But consultants kept checking and at a fifth six monthly test at the RAH, when “overgrown cells” were found, action was taken and Gillian was sent to have them removed.

Soon after she got a phone call asking her to go for a scan and was given the shock news.

The former Paisley Grammar pupil, who lives with her brother Stephen, 19 and has two sisters Julie, 22 and Gayle, 20, had surgery to remove her cervix.

But medics found the cancer had spread and last July Gillian had a hysterectomy aged just 22 at Glasgow’s Royal Infirmary.

She was devastated. She said: “I can’t have children now.

“I’m gutted. I love children so much.”

Gillian also needed further gruelling treatment which she says has left her in constant pain.

She takes morphine and is unable to return to work in a local call centre.

As well as six weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Glasgow’s Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, she had brachytherapy, a type of internal radiotherapy.

She said: “They put a pack in you and you are left lying there for hours.

“It was horrendous and I have been in pain ever since.”

But Gillian was able to forget the pain briefly a few weeks ago on what she describes as the “best day of her life”.

Best friend Katrina Low, 25, nominated her to perform on BBC1 TV show Tonight’s The Night with her favourite singer Paloma Faith.

The surprise was sprung on her by host John Barrowman for the show to be aired on Saturday.

Gillian, who has been singing all her life, said: “It was amazing! I was in pain when I got my hair done but I took my pain killers throughout the day.

“I only got to meet Paloma the day before the recording – she didn’t know the words so I had to help her! She was really nice.”

But Gillian impressed her idol. Paloma told the Evening Times: “When I heard Gillian sing I was shocked at how amazing she was. What a talent!”

Gillian’s proud family – including employment adviser dad Kenny, 52, who is separated from her Student Loans Company worker mum, Kim, 49 – were there to watch.

But Gillian is far from recovered.

Because of her surgery she can’t do the things her friends take for granted such as a night out.

Damage to her bladder means she can need to visit the toilet as often as every 10 minutes.

She said: “I have started accepting that I am never going to get back to normal.”

Gillian, who is still waiting for the final all clear, urges women not to miss smear tests, which are offered at 20 in Scotland but not until 25 in England.

She said: “It’s uncomfortable but could save your life. If I had been in England by the time I’d have got to 25 I’d have been dead.”

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board said: “This demonstrates how critical it is for all women, no matter their age, to have regular smears.”

TIMES FILE

Around 2800 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK each year. Fewer than 10% are in their 20s.

Every year almost 1000 women in the UK die from the illness, which is caused by the HPV virus. The main symptom is bleeding.

Having regular smear tests at your GP surgery is the best prevention.

An inoculation which can protect against cervical cancer is offered to 12 and 13-year-olds.