Midwife given six months to live is still alive 40 years later 

* TINA POULTON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL OVARIAN CANCER AT JUST 40 * BUT SHE REFUSED TO ACCEPT HER PROGNOSIS AND SOUGHT A SECOND OPINION * ENROLLED ON A CLINICAL TRIAL AND AFTER 18 MONTHS

OF TAKING DRUG, WAS CURED * 40 YEARS ON, DOCTORS HAVE HAILED RECOVERY AS A 'MIRACLE' AND INSPIRATIONAL By ANNA HODGEKISS FOR MAILONLINE Published: 08:56 EDT, 24 June 2015 |

Updated: 03:17 EDT, 25 June 2015 A mother battling cancer and told she had just six months to live has defied dire predictions to live for an astonishing 40 years. Tina Poulton was just 40

when she received the devastating diagnosis of terminal ovarian cancer, which had spread throughout her pelvis. She was warned she wouldn't be alive to see Easter 1976, with one doctor

even giving her a bottle of sherry to 'numb her sorrow' with the advice: 'At least you'll see Christmas.' But Mrs Poulton, who then lived in Stockport, refused to

accept her diagnosis. Instead, she got a second opinion from a leading professor at Manchester's Christie Hospital - a key cancer centre - and was enrolled on a clinical trial. She was

prescribed a two-year course of trial drug Melphelan and within just 18 months doctors found all traces of cancer had gone. The mother of three was subsequently given the all clear and went

onto to have 10 grandchildren and one great-grand-daughter. She has had no serious illness ever since and will shortly celebrate her 81st birthday. Today, Mrs Poulton who now lives in

Norwich with her husband Alan, 87, issued a 'never give up' message to all cancer sufferers. She said: 'Back then I was utterly devastated when I was told I had six months to

live. 'It came as a terrible shock because I had never been poorly in my life. 'But I was having none of it - who were these doctors to tell me when I was going to die? Who made

them God?  'Most people would have drawn up a bucket list, a funeral plan and said their goodbyes, but not me.  'I had always been a person who lived in the moment, took everything

in my stride and I'll be damned if I was ever going to let cancer change that.' At the time, she was working as a midwife at the local NHS hospital - and had been given the

devastating prognosis by her colleagues.  'My old colleagues had written me off and were astonished that I had proved them all wrong and recovered, and so quickly,' said Mrs

Poulton. 'Initially, they thought I was a little bit delusional to believe I would survive, but I showed them.'  Mrs Poulton was diagnosed with the illness when she began to feel

pains in her lower abdomen and assumed her appendix needed removing.  After her diagnosis, surgeons began what they thought would be a life-saving hysterectomy. I beat cancer and lived a

wonderful, long life because I refused to give up. Many people diagnosed consider cancer a death sentence, but it's not. Cancer is an illness - you've got to think of it in the

same way you would a common cold But when they opened her up and found the cancer had spread throughout her pelvis, they claimed the procedure would be futile. Mrs Poulton added: 'I was

heartbroken when they told me I wouldn't see Easter. I felt like I'd been written off.  'Doctors were so cynical back then, if you had cancer you were going to die and that

was that. But I refused to accept that I was going to die.  'I was happy, I had a wonderful husband and three beautiful children. I had no intention of changing my life, much less

dying. 'I never made a fuss of the cancer, I just got on with it, accepted it and vowed to beat it.' Despite this, she felt her colleagues and doctors were 'counting down the

days until my death'. 'They couldn't accept I just wanted to carry on like normal,' she added. Mrs Poulton was referred to the specialist cancer centre in Manchester

after speaking to a patient. There, Professor Derek Crowther told her: 'We'll try one treatment and if that doesn't work, we'll try something else.' She added:

'He was so positive about the diagnosis, and told me that he would try one treatment and if that didn't work he'd try another, and then another, until something cured me. 

'When I was given the all-clear, I was relieved. I always knew I'd beat it, but the reassurance was surprisingly comforting.' But like many patients who have overcome cancer,

she had the constant nagging fears about her health - and that the disease would return.  'Whenever I felt a common pain, I feared the worst. And it was clear that my specialists did,

too. I could see it in their eyes - it's as though none of them ever wanted to believe that I had actually recovered.  'In the end they hailed my recovery as somewhat of a miracle.

'One of the greatest joys of life has been watching my children grow. They gave me 10 beautiful grandchildren, who in turn have given me one beautiful great-granddaughter and there is

another on the way.  I have been blessed by my large and loving family and I am sure there will be plenty more to come. They are absolutely wonderful.' She added that cancer had made

her appreciate the things in life many of us take for granted. 'So many people are so busy planning things that really don't matter that they forget to stop, admire the beauty and

serenity of the world around them and just enjoy that beautiful moment.  'This is the only life we have, so why worry about what happens when it's over, or the things we'll

never do?'  'I beat cancer and lived a wonderful, long life because I refused to give up.  'Many people diagnosed consider cancer a death sentence, but it's not. Cancer

is an illness, and I would urge anybody diagnosed to think of their cancer the way they would think of catching a common cold.  'Hearing that you have cancer is devastating, but if you

allow that devastation to consume you, you will ultimately lose hope and give up the fight. 'The key to a long, healthy and happy life is to stay positive, to live life for the moment

and to stop worrying about things you could never change. If ever you fall ill, take it in your stride, accept the treatment and never, ever give up.' Melphelan, the drug Mrs Poulton

was given, was used for several decades but has now been replaced by newer treatments. Professor Crowther said: 'This story is quite remarkable. Her ovarian cancer was successfully

treated with a single agent chemotherapy drug.  'It has been a life changing experience for her and her family and she's now over 80 years old. The likelihood of her having a good

life into her 90s is very promising.'