It should have been the happiest time of her life. But just a few weeks after being told she was expecting her first child, Emma Grandison was given the devastating news that she had terminal bowel cancer.
After the elation of being told she was going to be a mum, the 31-year-old from Preston, was advised that without chemotherapy her life expectancy was as little as six months.
And she was left with no choice but to risk starting chemotherapy while she was pregnant.
Emma had started to suffer pains in her side in early pregnancy. She went to see her doctor who ordered a scan as he thought she might have gallstones.
Shockingly, the scan revealed her liver was riddled with tumours. She was diagnosed with bowel cancer which had spread to her liver and become terminal.
Emma told her local paper: "I couldn't comprehend it at the time. It didn't feel real. I felt like I was in a soap."
But determined to be positive, Emma went ahead with the aggressive treatment and baby Erin arrived 15 weeks early on November 5.
She weighed just 1lb 10oz and is still in the neonatal unit at the Royal Preston Hospital – while her mum battles the horrific disease that threatens her life.
Emma said: "I have my bad days, but I always look for the golden nugget in every day. There is always something that makes me smile.
"Today is a good day, I am not in pain, my medication is working, I've started a brand new drug. They are doing everything to keep me going.
"I have always loved a challenge, I just see this as a challenge. "I have always surprised myself by what I can do. This is a curve ball that I would never have expected to happen to me but it is happening.
"You can either sit in the corner and cry or get on with it. I've got a baby, a new husband, a new home, what is there not to fight for?"
She added: "Becoming a wife, mother and dealing with my diagnosis in such a short space of time has been very surreal.
"Marrying Ian was the most perfect day and becoming a mother I wouldn't change in the world, the added challenge of cancer is unfortunate but it's one bad thing in my life off-set by all the other amazing things I have going on.
"Why focus on the one bad thing? Someone has to beat the odds, why can't it be me? I have everything to live for and fight for.
"I was originally told I wouldn't survive Christmas without chemo, with chemo two years.
"These are just numbers to me. I think having a positive attitude and a glass half full attitude can only benefit me and those amazing people around me.
"Doctors tell me they don't know where I get my strength from, that's easy: my rock that is my husband, and my own little inspirational fighter, my daughter Erin.
"I've got my fight, she's got hers... like I said, I have everything to live for."
Emma is currently having chemotherapy once every two weeks and she says the one thing that really scares her is not seeing her daughter grow up.
She describes her husband, Ian, 31 – who she married three weeks after her diagnosis - as her 'rock'.
A group of 22 of the couple's friends are currently raising money for Cancer Research UK by not drinking alcohol throughout January. So far they have raised more than £5,000.
To help them raise funds visit their Just Giving page.