A FATHER with an incurable and rare cancer has a new supporter, after a fellow sufferer from Alderholt read of his fundraising mission.

Mother-of-two Be Wood, 57, was “amazed” to read about Ronny Allan’s diagnosis in last week’s Journal, after being diagnosed with the same rare neuroendocrine cancer.

Now she says she feels less alone, after years of not knowing anyone else with the condition.

Neuroendocrine cancer starts in hormone-producing nerve cells which usually occur in the digestive system but can occur in other parts of the body.

Only about 2,000 people are diagnosed with it each year.

Mrs Wood started suffering chest pain, stomach ache and back pain in 2007. In 2009 she was told she had secondary cancer in her bones but the primary cancer was not found.

Neuroendocrine cancer was diagnosed after a routine mammogram in 2012 revealed a lump in her breast, although it was not breast cancer. It was found that it started in the pancreas.

Now Mrs Wood receives monthly injections to alleviate the symptoms of the tumours and she has almost completed a cycle of radionuclide therapy.

She said: “Although people can live with this for years, what I find difficult is that there seems to be no ending to it.

“My hope is that treatment will keep my symptoms at bay so I can live the best life I can. I am not going to cry, weep or wail; I am going to get through this.

“My friends are amazed that I am positive. My dogs Max and Florrie are the best therapy. I walk and walk and walk.”

Mrs Wood added: “There have been so many people who have helped.

“I would like to thank all the staff at Salisbury Hospital, at the Peter Gillam centre, all the GPs and nurses at the Fordingbridge surgery and the neuroendocrine team at the Royal Free Hospital in London.”

But she said: “Because neuroendocrine cancer is so rare I have felt very alone with it. Until I read about Mr Allan, I didn’t know anyone with it.”

Mr Allan is walking Hadrian’s Wall with his wife Chris to raise £3,000 for the pancreatic, liver and neuroendocrine cancer charity PLANETS next month.

To sponsor them go to www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/PLANETS7.