"I INTEND to be around for a very long time. I want to get married and have children -- of course I do."

Sunlight picks up the copper lights in her beautiful long, red hair as Lia Sandford expresses herself with her well-manicured hands writes Karen Stephen

When she laughs her saucer-like eyes light up -- a normal 17-year-old with a love of life and a host of plans for the future.

Yet Lia has cancer: Stage four malignant melanoma, a skin cancer. She has been told by doctors there is no cure. She will not get better. She is going to die.

"Everyone's going to die," smiles Lia. "But I'm not prepared to go yet. I've a lot of living to do, there's so much I want to get done -- I've got lots and lots of plans."

She sits back and curls her feet under her -- the only evidence of the cancer that has spread through her body is a slightly swollen right foot.

"That's the lymphodemea that's done that," she explains, "and it makes me mad because I can't wear all the shoes I want to. I love shoes.

"But because I have no lymph nodes in the top of my right leg it swells up because there's no drainage system."

Lia talks matter-of-factly about her cancer and how it all started.

"I found a mole on my lower right leg when I was 12 and later noticed it had changed. It was removed when I was 15 and I was told it was malignant."

Later she made a routine visit to the Christie Hospital in Manchester for a check-up which revealed the cancer had spread and the lymph nodes in the top of her right leg were malignant and were subsequently removed.

For two years Lia, who was a performing arts student and has appeared in Hollyoaks and Cold Feet, had regular monitoring at Christie's and things seemed "fine".

However, in October of last year Lia discovered another lump. This time it was on her right knee.

"It was malignant," she says, "so I had to have it removed."

By March of this year the cancer had spread into her lungs and liver and she found lumps on her back and chin. She had been undergoing clinical trials with a consultant in London but the trial was stopped after less than a month due to the condition progressing.

"My boyfriend and my family had organised a week's holiday in the sun," says Lia, who lives in Swinton, "but I collapsed at the airport.

"I was taken to hospital and had a brain scan which showed that my brain had swollen and there were tumours."

This meant the cancer had spread to her brain and treatment had to stop. Lia was then told she could have radiotherapy.

"I don't want that," she says, "it makes you feel terrible and it doesn't get rid of the tumours, simply stuns them, so it's more than likely they'll start growing again.

"And I don't want to lose my hair," she says, thoughtfully touching a long, red ringlet.

Instead, Lia has opted for an alternative method. Twice a week she makes the journey to Chorlton where she visits a Buddhist Monk called Edmond Ho-Yuen To.

He has changed Lia's diet. She now eats organic food and does not touch red meat, coffee or alcohol. She meditates daily and has adopted an incredibly positive attitude to the cancer.

"Of course I still get scared," she says. "I mean, I'm only young and I don't want to die."

She looks out of the window at the garden and the beautiful early summer day.

"I'm too young to die, there's so many things I want to do. I want to have a career, get married, be a mum, go on holidays -- I want to do everything. And you know what? I will. This cancer doesn't scare me and it won't beat me.

"I'm NOT going to die."

Watch your skin for moles

LIA wants to raise awareness of this type of cancer by urging people to check their bodies regularly for changes to moles. She says: "The quicker it is diagnosed, the better chance of survival a person has."

The family of Lia have set up an appeal in her name to raise money for treatment and research into cancer. Staff and friends at the Bolton Evening News raised £1,527 with a fun quiz.

Organisers want to thank everyone who supported the event, including Tonge Cricket Club, Bolton Wanderers FC, Sea Cat, De Vere Whites Hotel, Terry O'Brien Coaches, Toni & Guy hairdressers, Chic beauty rooms, the Sandwich Inn and the Bolton Evening News management and Sports and Social Club.