FOR months Amy Poulter was told by doctors that the crippling stomach pain and other symptoms she was experiencing was due to a urine infection.

When she finally found out what was really wrong she was hit with a double load of bad news - the then 20-year-old had cervical cancer and she could never have children.

Amy has always wanted to have a family of her own.

And now she and partner Lewis Sked are determined to raise the £20,000 they need to have a child by surrogacy.

Amy, 29, says that as a 20-year-old, she accepted her doctors' words as gospel.

"If they had said that was green, I'd have said 'Oh, OK then,'" she says, pointing at a red rug in the Fareham home she shares with Lewis, her partner of three years.

She saw her doctor repeatedly, over a period of six months, but was continuously given different antibiotics, which had no effect on her symptoms.

"I believed in my doctors.

"I'd looked up my symptoms on the internet and cervical cancer had come up but you never think it's going to happen to you, and my doctor said I was too young for anything like that when I asked why they weren't giving me a smear test."

Eventually Amy's boss stepped in and went with her to see her doctor, in the hope of getting to the bottom of what was wrong.

"She could see I was doubled up in pain at work and said 'there's something more going on - they can't just keep giving you antibiotics if they're not working. They need to do more tests.'

"So she came with me for my next appointment and was quite forceful about asking what the next step was.

"I had an internal ultrasound and they said I had pelvic inflammatory disease and I was given more antibiotics for that."

When that didn't help, Amy went to see a new doctor who, when she heard her symptoms, gave her an internal examination.

She received a hospital appointment for the same week.

"After they had examined me, I went into a little room with four or five doctors in it, and they told me it was highly likely I had cervical cancer.

"I couldn't really take it in. It was the biggest shock of my life."

Amy's first question was would she be able to have children.

She was sent to a fertility expert who went through possible options but explained that they would delay her treatment, which could cost her her life.

Amy underwent six weeks of treatment, including radiotherapy chemotherapy and brachytherapy.

Since then, she has remained cancer free.

"At first I felt angry with the previous doctor because I think I should have been checked sooner, but at least I am still here to tell the tale. I'm just thankful for the doctor who picked it up when she did," she says.

"I never thought at the time that I could die from it, but looking back, it's quite scary, especially when you hear of people like Jade Goody, who had the same thing and didn't survive."

But she has been left with a variety of symptoms, including bowel and bladder pain and problems and, most devastatingly, is unable to have children.

"I've always wanted a family and always just thought I would have one," she says.

"The only options for us are adoption or surrogacy. I think maybe we will adopt one day, but I want to try surrogacy first.

"Everyone says it's different for men, but I know how it feels to be told I can't have children and I don't want to put Lewis through that as well.

"When I was first told I couldn't have children, I didn't really take it in - I was focused on getting better," she says.

"It's something I have struggled with but I can't change it. I just have to get on with what I want to do."

And that means raising money - a lot of money.

Amy and Lewis estimate that it will cost them around £20,000 to have a child via egg donation and a surrogate mother, who will carry the baby for Amy.

With that being a huge sum for the couple to raise on their own and wanting to be able to have a child sooner or later, Amy decided to set up an internet fundraising page.

"People have said that when I hit my 30s I will really struggle because I will start to feel time is running out," she explains.

"That's why I've set this page up. I'm 30 this year and want to start the process now, because it might take a while to get the money together.

"I set the page up last January but I didn't want to share it because I didn't want people to feel like we were begging or feel pressured to give money.

"But so many people said that if people want to help you, they will and if they don't they just won't give you any money, so we decided to do it."

When Amy shared the page with her friends, she and Lewis were amazed by the response.

Within 24 hours they had received some £800 in donations.

"We were overwhelmed," she says.

"We couldn't believe how generous our friends and family were being."

The couple, along with their friends and family, have also had a huge fundraising push, from large events such as an Indian meal night and a Christmas party to cake sales and a sponsored walk.

"My friends also asked for donations for car boot stuff on Facebook buying and selling pages and we couldn't believe how generous strangers were," adds Amy.

"We did car boot sales all summer. We're saving ourselves as well. At Christmas I got an extra job to raise a bit more money. We're doing everything we can think of."

So far, the couple have raised just under £8,000. There is still a long way to go to reach their target, but it's beginning to feel like a reality.

"It's amazing, it's so exciting," buzzes Amy.

"Every time I get an email to say someone has donated to our page, I get such a thrill. It's not just about the money but that people are helping us."

She adds that as well as bringing her and Lewis closer, the fundraising has made her feel closer to all her friends and family, whose support she has been amazed by.

And she knows that when she finally gets to hold her new baby in her arms, all the hard work will have been worth it.

"The thought of becoming a mother doesn't really seem real - I don't know if it will until the baby is born," she says.

"I can't wait to do all the things that people with children take for granted. I'm one of four children and I've always wanted four, but I will be happy with one."

Visit Amy and Lewis' fundraising page at gofundme.com/amyandlewis