A hospital nurse whose ovarian cancer devastatingly returned after she thought she had beaten it - and is now incurable - is dreaming of touring the UK in a motorhome.
Nikki Gray discovered six months ago that the illness was back after initially thinking her sickness was being caused by too much spicy food.
The 52-year-old recently started clinical trials for drugs that could help better manage her cancer, and they will last for three years, although medics have told her she will never get rid of it.
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Now, the Wavertree woman has appealed for help to buy a camper van which she wants to tour Great Britain in to enjoy the rest of her life as much as possible.
The intensive care nurse was set to sell her house, but the buyer pulled out, meaning the cash that was on its way for the motorhome suddenly disappeared.
An online fundraising campaign is underway to help her purchase her dream vehicle.
Her mum Carole Turner said: "She has gone through so much stress with the sale whilst undergoing intensive chemotherapy.
"If she can’t pay the balance on the motorhome, then she will lose it and her dream of travelling the UK, which is so well deserved will be lost.
"Nikki is a lovely, kind and caring woman, she never complains or asks ‘why me,’ but continues to care, help and support others.
"Now that her house sale has fell through she will not be able to sell her home in time to buy the motorhome.
"I never thought that I would need to ask for help for my daughter.
"Please support and help this wonderful lady, daughter, nurse and friend achieve her dream."
Nikki's chemotherapy means her balance is badly affected and she needs a walking stick to get around and her memory has worsened.
She told the ECHO: "I just want to spend as much time as I can with family and friends and see as much of this beautiful place - the UK - as I can.
"I'm going to move in with my mum in Huyton, who has been a huge support through all of this."
Nikki was originally diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2016.
Because she had a history of breast cancer there was a precautionary hysterectomy to remove a cyst found during investigations into her heavy periods.
After completing chemotherapy, she was free of the cancer in her ovaries, but last autumn signs cropped up that it might have returned.
Over the last 11 years, the Alder Hey nurse has suffered two different cancers, undergone six surgeries and 18 chemotherapy treatments.
She has frequently raised money for charity and entered the Race for Life several times, raising thousands of pounds for breast cancer research.
To help with her motorhome fundraising, visit here
