A mum-of-three who went to the doctors with a cough died six weeks later after it turned out to be lung cancer.
Jane Brogan visited her GP with what she believed to be a chest infection, having had a cough for six weeks.
The 38-year-old was shocked to discover that she actually had stage four lung cancer, Chronicle Live reported.
On the day doctors were due to decide whether to continue her course of chemotherapy, Jane died suddenly at her home.
“We’re devastated. We thought we’d get one last Christmas,” said Jane’s sister Julie.
"We’d even planned to move it forward after what the doctors said.
"She had texted me the night before saying she wasn’t feeling great and had been coughing a lot so was trying to get some sleep.
"From diagnosis to her passing away has only been six weeks.
"It’s really difficult- everyone’s struggling with it.
"Jane had been pretty upbeat through the whole lot, I don’t know how she’s been the way she’s been.
"She’d started buying the children Christmas presents."
Jane, from Northumberland, attended hospital with what she thought was a minor ailment only to be told he had just months to live.
The single mum embarked on a course of chemotherapy while she planned for a final Christmas with her kids Molly, 14, Elena, seven and Thomas, five.
During the treatment Jane contracted pneumonia, which led doctors to stop the chemo until the infection passed.
On the day she was due to find out whether they would continue the life lengthening treatment Jane died.
A statement from her family said: “Jane was a much loved mam, daughter, sister, auntie and great auntie. She loved her friends, music, animals and, more recently, cakes.
"She was most devastated about leaving her children behind and missing out on them growing up, and key milestones in their lives.
Jane’s family and friends are now fundraising to take her three children to Florida in May, with a charity evening at Bedlington Terriers FC planned for December 14.
