A beautiful mum has undergone surgery to remove half her face after doctors misdiagnosed her cancer as being hay fever.
Jannine McHaffie was diagnosed with rare cancer adenoids cystic carcinoma - known as ACC- with doctors having to remove her pallet bone, upper teeth, parts of her cheek bone and her top right jaw.
The illness, which affects the salivary glands, was discovered after doctors found a strawberry sized tumour in her nose.
However her traumatic cancer battle all began when the full-time mum, 25, from Chelmsford, Essex, was seriously misdiagnosed.
Jannine said: "What started out as a few heavy nosebleeds turned out to be the most horrifying journey of my life.
"I went to my GP who said it was hay fever and there wasn't a lot he could do about it.
"After 10 months I was finally diagnosed with ACC, I was terrified, I've never heard of anything like it.
"I was sat down as surgeons told me they had to remove most of my upper mouth which would be mainly reconstructed by using the fibula bone in my right leg.
"I took a deep breath and put on a brave smile, I knew it had to be done.
"I just kept thinking about my daughter Leylah, 3, I wanted them to do whatever it took to save me as I don't want to miss a second of her growing up.
"I've been back home recovering for three week now and a few days ago I finally walked again for the first time with no crutches.
"I've still got radiotherapy to face yet once my mouth and face has healed but I know I'll smash that after going through all of this."
In January Jannine's nose had got so big that it affected her breathing.
The condition forced her to go for a CT scan, an emergency MRI scan and a biopsy, and by February she had been diagnosed with ACC.
Surgeons carried out the complex 13 hour procedure on May 26, which then had to be followed up with two other procedures.
Jannine said: "I was sedated for three days whilst I underwent three different operations.
"After the first one surgeons knew that something wasn't quite right with the roof of my mouth and the blood flow.
"I needed the blood flow into my mouth increased as I kept getting blood clots.
"I was extremely lucky to be referred to the Royal Marsden Hospital, I instantly felt in good hands and they've been fantastic.
"I finally came round on the Saturday and kept in CCU for a few more days and then intensive care for one day then onto a ward and finally I went home on the Friday.
"It was a bit early but I was missing my daughter like crazy and wanted to recover at home."
The surgery was a success, and Jannine faces a minor operation to complete the procedure later this month.
She said: "My little girl has been my main focus to get through everything, little does she know she's getting mummy through every day.
"I couldn't have got through this without the help of my parents, their partners and my wonderful boyfriend Chris.
"He was diagnosed with testicular cancer two years ago but is now thankfully in remission, it's just crazy how a young couple can both end up with such awful diseases.
"The recovery process is long in about one year when everything's settled I will be able to have veneers and my appearance should return to normal.
"It's not easy but every day gets better and positivity is very important, if you remain positive then you can get through anything.
"I don't know what my future holds, but I plan to fight this every step of the way."
John Watkinson, Vice Chairman of the Get A-Head Charitable Trust and Consultant ENT Surgeon at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham said: "Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) is a rare salivary gland cancer, which can occur in the head and neck region.
"The instance of Salivary Gland malignancy overall is about 1 per million and ACC forms about 5% of these tumours, so most surgeons will only see one or two cases in their lifetime.
"Patients usually present with a lump which can be painful and patients are treated with wide surgical resection and usually post-operative radio-therapy.
"The radical resection often has huge implications in the head and neck and one of the commonest sites for ACC is the mouth, oropharynx and mid-face.
"Three dimensional reconstruction is usually required, often with subsequent prosthetics including dental rehabilitation.
"Currently the Get A-Head Charity is funding research with Prof Kevin Harrington at the Institute of Cancer Research into adjuvant chemotherapy for the treatment of ACC in both the adjuvant and palliative setting."
Brave mother's battle with cancer
April 2014 - symptoms began - severe nosebleeds which could last for hours, told it was hay fever
May 2014 - ended up in hospital after bleeding was so heavy she needed her nose cauterised twice to try and stop the bleeding
June 2014 - went back to doctors with another heavy nosebleed, sent to hospital and had it cauterised again
September 2014 - found a small strawberry sized lump in her right nostril
October 2014 - lump had grown significantly and was impacting her breathing, went back to GP who advised it was a common polyp
November 2014 - went back to doctors who referred her for a CT scan
January 2015 - Got results from CT scan, referred to a different hospital for an emergency MRI scan
Two weeks later - Had a biopsy
February 2015 - Diagnosed with adenoids cystic carcinoma
A fundriaisng page has been set up for Jannine, and you can help support her by visiting here.