Anne Littlejohn had hoped to put her love of decorating to good use by helping her 23-year-old daughter spruce up her first house.
But after more than four years of living with secondary bone cancer, the 54-year-old from Cuminestown in Aberdeenshire found herself unable to help out with the basic interior design, a hobby she thoroughly enjoys.
She said: “When Kim and her partner bought a place together I was a bit frustrated as I would have liked to help do it up.”
The dental nurse added: “But I was at least able to offer my advice.”
Mrs Littlejohn was given the news about her illness in 2010.
And having just recovered from a tumour in her ovaries three years earlier, it was not something the family expected.
“We were totally shocked,” recalls the farmer’s wife.
“We thought the symptoms might have been caused by a slipped disc but never considered the diagnosis to be what it was.
“It’s been such an eye-opener as we knew nothing about this type of cancer and we’ve found out so much in the last four years.”
Throughout two years of hormone treatment, she felt healthy and carried on with life as normal.
Then just before Christmas, the effects of the medications stopped.
This led to her hip bone becoming so thin that she had to have it replaced – just weeks before she is due to take to the catwalk.
Mrs Littlejohn hopes to make it down the runway without the crutch she has carried since the operation.
“My aim is to try and go down the catwalk without any aids as that would make my kids so proud,” she said.
“It was them who nominated me and I couldn’t believe it,” she added.
While she recovers from her operation, Mrs Littlejohn is giving it her all during the show’s rehearsals at Aberdeen’s Beach Ballroom.
“It really gives you something to focus on. You learn to amuse yourself in the ward by speaking to people and reading books and watching telly but the fashion show is definitely an exciting distraction,” she said.
And as her health improves, Mrs Littlejohn is hoping to be fit enough in time for the gardening season so she can have it in shape for the summer.
She said: “I’ve been signed off work for six months so I hope to get back in July and maybe just do one day a week to see how I get on.
“At least that’s the plan.”
Any one wishing to donate to Anne’s fundraisng for Friends of Anchor can visit
http://www.justgiving.com/
Anne-Littlejohn.