A WOMAN who defied the odds when she told she had terminal cancer has written an e-book about her childhood growing up in East Africa.

Lucy Lang and her family moved back to Scotland when she was in her early teens. She now lives in Dundonald with her husband Tom who has been brought up in Troon.

In 2011 Lucy was diagnosed with breast cancer but was told by the NHS that her illness had spread to her liver and bones.

Speaking about her diagnoses Lucy said: "We were told by doctors 'I am very sorry but it has spread to your liver and bones. We cannot operate.

"I was so stunned to get a terminal diagnosis, that the old cliché of your life flashing before you and a sharp focus on how you lived your life, comes into play."

It was then that Lucy decided to write a book about her life.

"With me, it was particularly focused on my childhood up to the age of 18. That is where my book ends.

"I had an unusual childhood involving a lot of travelling. I was born in Kenya to Scottish parents who travelled back and forth to East Africa. As it says in my introduction, our various VW Beetles over the years was my only constant!" 

Lucy's father was in love with Africa. He first went on leave from the Merchant Navy in 1944 to visit his younger brother out there, who was serving in the British Army during the war. He promised himself he would return one day.

Lucy was diagnosed with terminal cancer the day of her breast cancer operation which was deemed inoperable. 

She continued: "I was devastated. I felt like I was in a dream and kept thinking 'why am I not getting my operation?'

"My mother refused to believe it, I thought she was just in denial but I insisted I had an MRI scan which revealed I had liver damage due to Malaria which I had when I was younger. I went back on the operation list.

"Three weeks later, I had a breast reconstruction and have been cancer free for five years now. 

"The long days of waiting for scan results was the time when I thought about my early life in Kenya and Tanzania. It just all came pouring out ~ all the memories came flooding back in quick procession."

In the same year Lucy was diagnosed with cancer her mother sadly passed away from heart failure.

"I was in the middle of my chemotherapy when she died, which was so ghastly. That's when I lost a lot of weight and lost all my hair." Lucy added.

She went on: "Although the NHS made a dreadful blunder with their mis-diagnosis, at least they allowed me to have another scan, which proved I didn't have terminal cancer after all. The NHS care from then on was second to none.

"It is a miracle. I feel very happy and elated when I go an see the consultant. After 12 months of Chemo we went to Malta in October 2012. It was like starting my life again.

"People can see I am going back to my old self. Friends used to hug me in pity but they don't do that anymore."

Lucy has been in Touch with Troon Library who seemed very interested to hear from a local author. They also have a Writer's Club twice a month and so they do support local authors where Lucy intends to attend regularly in September.

To read it visit www.amazon.co.uk/DISLOCATION-turbulent-childhood-Scotland-Tanzania-ebook/dp/B01II4MIHW/ref=sr_1_10?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468613342&sr=1-1.