IT is her favourite time of year and one Amanda Barnes is determined to enjoy.

Battling an aggressive form of cancer, the 52-year-old feels desperately sad when she allows herself to think she might not be here to celebrate Christmas next year.

It’s a fear she has had for four years – ever since being diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer and being told there is no cure.

But she refuses to dwell on it – instead she is determined to take her tough journey just one day at time.

Now she is throwing her weight behind Cancer Research UK’s powerful ‘Right Now’ campaign which launches with an emotive TV advert on Boxing Day.

Amanda, who works as the deputy director of nursing at Southampton General Hospital, was diagnosed in October 2012 after visiting her doctor with severe pain in her abdomen. 

She was immediately referred to hospital for tests where she received the devastating blow that they had found a large cancerous tumour on her left ovary – and also told the cancer had spread to her lungs.

She said: “They took us in to a little room and I remember being told all these things which made perfect sense because of the way I was feeling – but if I am honest I had already worked it out."

Amanda's ability to face the illness head-on whilst also continuing to provide care to thousands in her role at the hospital has won her many awards.

In 2015 she was given the Chairman's Award for Leadership at the University Hospital Southampton Foundation Trust's annual Hospital Hero awards and the year before she was named as one of the most inspirational female leaders in healthcare at a national awards event.

Helping her through – and ensuring her festive season shimmers and sparkles – are her “strictly fab-u-lous” friends who, in a twist on the tradition of the New Year’s Honours list, Amanda is honouring for their support.

Former nursing colleagues and closest friends Lesley Brunt, Carolyn Moreton and Ros Nightingale say their incredible friend has rarely gone a day without a smile despite receiving “the worst news in the world”.

The friends – who share a love of BBC TV programme Strictly Come Dancing – have been ensuring the festive period is a happy time as they get together every week with Amanda, wearing their sequins and sparkles, scoring the dancers and enjoying a glass of bubbles together.

The four, who have been friends for more than 20 years, even have their own glitter ball trophy which is awarded to whoever has the highest marks on finale night.

Their support has kept Amanda going through the years of treatment and procedures she has endured in her battle against cancer.

Amanda, who lives in Havant with husband Rob, first underwent emergency surgery after her diagnosis, having a full hysterectomy and her ovaries removed. Once recovered, she began chemotherapy on Christmas Eve 2012.

Amanda said: “The irony was that I was actually feeling quite well at that point and it was like being stuck on a rollercoaster ride with no way off.

“I had no idea that when I woke up what life was going to be like for me, how I was going to be or even if I had any time left.”

She continued: “I remember asking “how long have I got?” like everybody does, but my oncologist told me that nobody ever really wants to know the answer and from that moment on I have never asked again.”

Amanda underwent six cycles of treatment before returning to work in late Spring, when scans revealed her tumour had shrunk considerably. 

Since then, sadly, the cancer has continued to reappear despite several rounds of treatment.

She said: “My cancer is a bit like a weed, a dandelion that has a nasty habit of popping back up.

“Some treatments worked well. But in early 2016 they found it had come back in my liver and was very aggressive.

"A lesion on my spine was also looking more active and it was also in my lymph nodes and on my lung.”

Amanda was referred to The Royal Marsden hospital in London where she was given a trial drug but became so ill that treatment was stopped.

She said: “I opted for a new type of chemotherapy instead which I am receiving now.

“I know for me the cancer is going to come back, it always does. My treatment is palliative, not curative. 

“When I first heard the word cancer – and knowing that I had advanced cancer – I just thought “oh crikey, that’s it – it is game over.

“But as I have gone on that feeling has changed to one of living with it and in spite of it, getting on with life.

"Cancer is now something that I lug around with me. It’s not something that ever really goes away.”

Amanda continued: “If I am honest, I didn’t expect to be here and that’s what makes Christmas so hard.

"It’s my absolute favourite time of year but I can’t help feeling sad when I decorate the tree and think, could this be the last time I do this?

“I’ve got a lot to be grateful for – not least my husband Rob, my sister who is my biggest cheerleader and my amazing friends who are always at the end of a phone or ready to pop round for a cup of tea or glass of wine or take me for a treat.

“Getting together every Saturday night for Strictly gives me one night where I forget about cancer – it’s all about the glitter and sparkle. I just love it and I have my friends to thank for that.

“It’s thanks to research that I am still here now. I know that we will get there – it might not be in time for me, but the day will come.”