When this terminally ill woman was given two years to live, her first decision was to leave her husband

Annabel Nnochiri, an art teacher from North London, was diagnosed with bone cancer, which progressed to stage four in 2016.

Nnochiri, knowing her illness was therefore terminal, decided to end her relationship with her husband of 28 years.

In 2010 she beat breast cancer, but in June 2012 felt a pain in her leg, and doctors found a tumour in her hip.

She told KidSpot, a news site for parents, that it was the top of her list.

I made a bucket list and the first thing was to leave my husband.

I had a good life but just felt completely trapped and wanted to break free.

Knowing I had a short time to go I knew I couldn't live the rest of my life just being a housewife.

Nnochiri spoke to her teenage children before decided to leave.

She told KidSpot she would not have ended the marriage without their blessing.

Using inheritance, Nnochiri bought a flat and then announced to her husband she was leaving him.

When I told him he thought it was just a phase and that I would go back to him.

Speaking more of her decision to leave, Nnochiri said

But when I was diagnosed as terminal I thought ‘I’ve got two-and-a-half years left and I don’t want to be in this house.

I don’t want to be cooking dinner every night - I want to be free!

She claims that she and her ex-husband, who met at university, have a good relationship.

I didn’t leave to be with someone else but I have had a very happy love life since then – and he has found someone else and is happy too,

Leaving her husband was just one item on her to do list.

Nnochiri has gone back to painting, taken up salsa, and been travelling.

She said the 2012 diagnosis has freed her and made her feel much more confident.

If I hadn’t had cancer I would have been a dull person.

But because of it I’ve become a much braver, naughty older woman.

While she wants to live to see her children and grandchildren, she said she is no longer angry about her terminal diagnosis.

When I got my terminal diagnosis I was so angry with God that I stopped going to church.

You just have to get through the anger and grief and accept it.

What came eventually was calmness, wisdom and spirituality.

If you show kindness it will always come back to you.

Nnochiri is one the subjects of a BBC documentary Time to Live which was broadcast on Tuesday night.

HT Kidspot

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