EXCLUSIVE: A CHIPPENHAM woman with terminal cancer is preparing to go against medical advice by refusing orthodox treatment.

Chonette Taylor, of New Road, Chippenham, spends hours hunting for alternative treatments for leukaemia lymphoma because she does not want chemotherapy.

She spends 10 hours a week searching the internet and emailing consultants around the world for advice on controlling the disease.

The 58-year-old, who owns Quetzal Global Gallery and is originally from Mexico, was inspired after reading a book from a sufferer who had decided against conventional medicine.

She said: "I was quite adamant I did not want chemotherapy, but doctors want me to have it so I'm in a bit of a dilemma. I'm afraid of the side effects because it can make you quite depressed. I've looked after people with depression in my life and I know how hard it is.

"I have been doing a lot of research and hope to control the disease with a diet which helps build up your immune system."

Mrs Taylor is now cutting out meat, salt and sugar from her diet in favour of vegetables, fruit and brown rice.

Michael Gearin-Tosh, who has seemingly controlled cancer against the odds, stuck to a similar diet to fight the disease.

His book, Living Proof: A Medical Mutiny, tells how doctors told him he only had months to live without chemotherapy, but is still alive eight years later.

Mrs Taylor said: "When I read the book I felt inspired and realised I wasn't the only stubborn one.

"I'm not saying people shouldn't have chemotherapy it's just something I don't really want to go through."

Last October, the mother of two was diagnosed with chronic leukaemia and doctors told her she had between five and fifteen years to live.

Refusing to be downbeat, she said: "I'm not worried about dying, in another 10 years I will be 68 which is quite an old age and we all have to die someday. The worst thing was telling my daughter, Anna. We have talked a lot about death in the past which helped, but it was still emotional.

"My son, Alexander, was more pragmatic, because he knew I still had a long time to live."

The leukaemia has now spread into Mrs Taylor's bone marrow and she admits she no longer has the energy to work the long hours she used to.

She said: "At the moment I am well. The biggest thing I'm worried about is the people around me suffering when I start to deteriorate."