A battling gran-of-one has continued to defy the odds despite being diagnosed with FIVE different types of cancer – in the last two years.
Brave Janet Pfeiffer, 69, was first struck down with the deadly disease after doctors discovered a tumour on her right lung in November 2013.
Shockingly, she was also diagnosed with lymphatic cancer at around the same time and medics then found an adenocarcinoma when they removed her lung in May 2014.
The mum-of-one spent extended periods in hospital but began to make a good recovery from the illness over the next few months.
But she was dealt a further bombshell last December when the lymphatic cancer returned in the form of a cell cancer just behind her kidney.
After six gruelling courses of chemotherapy Janet was devastated to discover on her final treatment that the three new tumours had also spread to her liver.
Despite the grim prognosis, the inspirational pensioner had refused to let the disease beat her and she is now preparing to battle the disease head-on for a fifth time.
The odds of contracting five different types of cancer are believed to be around five MILLION-to-one.
Incredibly, she even completed a 10k charity walk with her daughter Karen, 41, on September 6 to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.
Janet, from Irthlingborough, Northants., says: “I won’t just lay down and die. I will continue to battle this illness for as long as I can.
“My last last chemotherapy session left me hardly able to walk. It was dreadful. I could barely walk up the stairs.
“So I decided while I was as healthy as I was ever going to be I was going to complete this charity walk.”
Jane completed the Stanwick Lakes Autumn Run in Wellingborough, Northants., in her fastest time of just over two hours.
The retired London Underground duty manager added: “I walked the 10K, but only as fast as my body allowed me to.
“My daughter Karen was there alongside me, supporting me the whole way.
“It’s something I’m very proud of and I’m so happy I managed to do it.
“I had fellow runners and walkers coming up to me saying how inspirational I am and that I was doing a great job.”
She is now waiting for the go-ahead for a liver operation, which is due to take place at the end of the month.
But she insists she has already lived 18 months longer than she expected and now considers every day a bonus.
Janet, who also goes to a Pilates class once a week, added: “I’m not worrying about the future because I’ve had a good life. I just want to give something back now.
“It’s been a long journey for me.
“I was first diagnosed with rare neuro-endocrine carcinoid tumours in my right lung which lead to me have my right lung removed in May 2014.
“Being me though, I couldn’t just get the lung cancer, I had lymphatic cancer at the same time.
“When they removed my lung, the doctors found an adenocarcinoma, which meant that the lung was growing at a faster rate than normal, so that was cancer number three.
“Just as I was recovering well from the lung cancer and I was becoming more active again, the lymphatic cancer decided to wake up and change into a completely different aggressive diffuse B cell cancer.”
“I had six treatments of chemotherapy, losing my hair in the process and my lymphoma became borderline active and I was due to go on to maintenance treatment.
“Unfortunately, a routine scan after my final chemotherapy treatment found spots on my liver, so I went for a PET scan and a biopsy in June this year.
“It showed the original cancer from my removed lung had metastasised on to my liver as three new tumours in a different form, and I was diagnosed on July 15.
“I may have the opportunity to have surgery to remove three sections of my liver in late September if my lung function and heart tests are OK.”
Janet is an official fundraiser for Cancer Support UK and lives with daughter Karen, 41, a teacher, and grandson Ryan, 17.
Husband of 15 years Paul, 45, lives in north-west France, where the couple were living at the time of Janet’s first diagnosis.
She said: “I’m not asking for sympathy. I’ve been lucky to have had an extra 18 months or so.
“I’ve had a full and varied life and have done and seen things and been places.”
“I used a sledge hammer to break down some of the Berlin Wall when I was a tour guide in Eastern Europe before, during and after the changes.
“I’ve been a registrar at Westminster Register Office and have married and registered the births of many famous people and their children. So I have no regrets.
“When I was first diagnosed with cancer in 2013, I promised myself I would do a 5K run to raise funds and awareness for all types of cancer, so we can all beat it one day.”
People can also text donations to 70070 using the code PFEI69 and the amount they wish to donate.
Donations can also be made via: Janet’s JustGiving page
Martin Ledwick, head information nurse at Cancer Research UK, said: “We’re sorry to hear about Janet’s diagnosis.
“It’s not unusual for cancer to come back in another part of the body, but developing lots of different types of cancer is less common.
“This must be a difficult time for Janet, and taking part in the run to raise money for our vital research showed great courage and determination.
“We send her our thanks and best wishes.”
