A young woman died from a type of cancer so rare that a specialist doctors described it as a 'one in a million' chance.

Alison Cooney, 28, has died just weeks after being diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer, despite being told she could have up to two years to live.

The Christie's Dr Juan Valle, who treated Alison, has said that the diagnosis for a woman so young was a one in a million.

Her mum, Ann, said: “Alison was gorgeous and funny. She was very popular. We didn't realise how popular she was until this happened.

“It has come as such a shock because it happened so quickly and she had shown no signs of illness at all.”

Alison, from Middleton, went to North Manchester General Hospital in December complaining of a pain in her side.

In January doctors diagnosed the pain as secondary cancer in her liver that had spread from her colon. The disease had been there for about a year.

Ann said her daughter had shown some mild symptoms in that time, like sickness and diarrhoea, but she put them down to her lifestyle and diet.

Alison, who had left her job in recruitment to re-train as a midwife, was transferred to the Christie and was told she had a maximum of two years to live.

Scared

Ann said: “She was scared. Sometimes she would wake up in hospital at night crying.

“She tried to stay upbeat and was determined she could fight it. I don't think she ever really thought she would have less than two years.”

But Alison's condition deteriorated more rapidly than doctors expected and she died on February 20.

Alison's family – Ann, dad Danny and sisters Katie, 30, and 26-year-old Lauren – said they hoped her death would make people aware of the dangers of bowel cancer in the young.

The disease is Britain's second biggest killer cancer, causing around 44 deaths a day.

More than 80 per cent of bowel cancers are diagnosed in people over the age of 60.

Consultant Dr Valle said: “For a woman of 28 to get this disease is extremely unusual. The message is when people get problems with their bowels it is much more important to have it checked at an early stage so it can be treated.

“By the time we saw Alison the disease was so advanced that it couldn't be cured.”

Alison's family have decided to donate her eyes so they can give the gift of sight to others.

Older sister Katie said: “We want to raise awareness of donating your eyes as an organ. It's what Alison would have wanted.

“For us it feels like something good has come from something so horrible.

“What better thing is there for somebody to be seeing the world through her eyes?”

Alison's funeral was taking place at St Thomas More Church in Alkrington today.