Connie Johnson’s sons, Willoughby and Hamilton, were just three and four when she was told she had breast cancer.
She was 33 years old and had battled cancer twice before. But this time, doctors said she “wouldn’t come out the winner” against the disease, and that her cancer was terminal.
Seven years on and Connie has made the heartbreaking decision to stop all treatment for her cancer, which has now spread to her liver.
Connie, now 40, is facing her final few months with her sons – now aged 10 and nine – and told ABC’s Sunday Brunch she is focused on spending “quality time” with her family.
"I thought I would only live six to 12 months when I was first diagnosed, so it's been amazing to have that extra time with my family," she said.
"The first thing I thought when I got diagnosed was, 'My kids won't remember me'. I really wanted them to grow up to an age where they remembered me...not just from photos and stories people told, but actually have their own memories.
"My wish was that I could get through to an age where [they were old enough] to remember me and that has happened and it's been absolutely wonderful."
But, she added, living with a terminal illness for seven years has brought a whole host of problems.
"My life isn't what my life was before. It's not uncommon for me to sleep 18 or 20 hours a day," she said.
LISTEN: Meshel Laurie speaks to Samuel Johnson on The Nitty Gritty Committee:
"My life just completely got taken over by cancer. I might feel well only between 10pm and 1am one day and don't see my kids at all. Then there are other days where I do get to spend lovely, quality time with them.
"Then there are the days where I'm too sick or I'm in hospital and if they see me, they can see that I am suffering."