ASHTON Howard thought her aching legs were down to too much partying in high heels.

But her world turned upside down when she was told she had leukaemia aged 26.

Today the former Bournemouth student is fighting back and is now joining forces with other young cancer patients to launch a networking group across the south.

She said: “When I was diagnosed with leukaemia, my life as I knew it immediately came crashing to a halt.

“Reflecting back on this day, the day my world as I knew it fell apart I have now been forced to carve out a new life, a better and more fulfilling one.

“I’m not going to lie, I have down days when I feel really annoyed, scared and worried about my future and my fear of relapse but I guess nobody knows what’s around the corner and rather than looking at the negatives I have to try and remain focused on moving forward.”

Ashton was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia on 13 January 2014.

She went to her GP fearing she was anaemic after she felt constantly tired, struggled to stand on her legs for long periods of time and even fell asleep during a work meeting.

However tests and scans revealed she had a cancer of the white blood cells which typically affects children.

The 28-year-old, explained: “My diagnosis happened really quickly and came as a massive shock. I went to the doctors thinking I was just a little anaemic – I didn’t even feel that ill but my mum was worried about me.

“My main symptom was achy legs, which I put down to wearing heels and partying too much. My doctor even said she thought I’d burnt myself out – if only that had been the case.”

Ashton was kept in isolation due to her weakened immune system for six weeks before an intensive 10 month chemotherapy regime.

But Ashton, who studied fashion at The Arts University, Bournemouth, was determined to stay positive.

She said: “I remember the consultant saying to me that it was curable and that stuck with me.

“I didn’t want to know about survival rates and horrible side effects of treatment, all I needed to know is that it was curable and so that was what I focused on.”

Ashton, who worked for a luxury fashion brand setting up their franchise stores, who underwent treatment at Southampton General Hospital decided to move to the Isle of Wight to be with her family.

She is now on the final phase of a two year maintenance programme of treatment which involves taking daily chemotherapy tablets as well as IV treatment and lumber punch every three months.

“I’m slowly getting my life back on track and learning to repair and restore my mind and body back to good health.

“I love my life. I do yoga and paddleboard. I love being by the sea, it’s so therapeutic soaking up the fresh sea air is good for the soul.

“My diagnosis has completely changed my perspective, spending months on end in isolation naturally makes you become more mindful I feel like it’s given me a whole new outlook. It’s my belief that my diagnosis was a wake up call to change and in some strange way I feel lucky to have been given this opportunity to transform my life.”

Ashton said when she was diagnosed she found out there was very little support for people of her age group with cancer.

She discovered the charity Trekstock, for people in their 20s and 30s with the illness, and now she is working with them to stop younger people in the area feeling isolated.

Ashton, said: “I used to long to speak to other young people that had been through or were going through similar experiences. I always said I would love to set up a group for other young people in my position as I knew how much I yearned for this kind of support.

“I am now part of the Trekstock network which is a community of like-minded young adults that have all faced similar experiences and challenges. We are planning to set up a Trekstock hub to help connect other young adults on the south coast. I think it’s so important to be able to connect with other young people going through similar situations, it’s one of the best forms of therapy.

“Being diagnosed with cancer is really scary, there's no doubt about it, but I want to help change peoples perceptions, as it's not a death sentence and many people do survive it and go on and lead completely normal, often better and more fulfilling lives.”