Friends and family are rallying around a city mum and community leader who has been told she has less than a year to live.
Irina Buchan, 36, is doing everything she can to pull through her earth-shattering prognosis, including surgeries, chemotherapy and private treatments.
But saving her life is coming at a cost, prompting colleagues and friends to launch a fundraiser at a local Zumba dance fitness club where she is an instructor.
Irina's battle began last October when she was struck down suddenly with acute abdominal pain and underwent an emergency keyhole surgery which found a clot in her lung.
The mum of one was bedbound with an infection for nearly a month and in November her "world darkened" when she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
"The kick in the teeth is that it happened as we were celebrating my daughter's second birthday," said Irina, who lives in Norwich with her partner James and daughter Rose.
"It came as such a shock as this should not be happening to a person my age."
A week later, as Irina's pain worsened, she was told the cancer had spread to her ovaries and produced metastatic tumours in other parts of her body, developing into stage four cancer.
She continued: "In late November I had a surgery planned but once the doctors went in they found it was far worse than expected from the scans.
"But they still took out my ovaries, fallopian tubes, the colon tumour and installed a stoma."
After spending six weeks in hospital Irina was sent home to recover and referred for chemotherapy which she began in late January.
However, the first round was unsuccessful.
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"My prognosis was three to 12 months before starting chemo and in April I started the second round which has more aggressive side effects and a worse prognosis.
"While I'm preparing myself and my family for the worst, I am hopeful for the best."
As well as being a Zumba instructor, Irina is a Romanian translator, project manager for a retirement corporation and chair of the trustee board for the Silver Road Community Centre.
The community centre is managed by Julie Brociek-Coulton, who is also the Labour county councillor for the Sewell area of the city.
Julie said: "Irina has brought so much energy and joy to our community through her classes.
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"She has helped us stay fit and created a space where we can connect and have fun.
"Now, it's our turn to support her during this tough time."
A fundraising campaign supporting Irina has seen more than £4,000 donated at gofundme.com.
Proceeds from a dance class will boost that fund on Saturday, which is being held at Saint Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic School at 2pm with tickets priced at £10.
Irina added: "All this time, I haven't stopped looking for trials or medication that could help prolong my life and if the second line of chemo doesn't work I will find a potential solution.
"My daughter needs to know that Mami never stopped fighting and left no stone unturned."
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