Octogenarian Nanette Reid has stunned doctors by surviving almost three times as long after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 61.

Now, having spent the last 20 years volunteering in social housing, she is to be presented with a British Empire Medal for her tireless work within the community.

Kind-hearted Nanette, chairwoman of Linstone Housing Association, told the News: “It is the most wonderful, exciting, yet fearsome feeling to be handed such a prestigious award.

“Never in my life would I have expected to be honoured for doing something that I love.

“I was completely shocked when I received the letter six weeks ago. It is an absolute honour.” The grandmother-of-two’s involvement with the social housing began when she was a tenant of the former Scottish Housing Association and it began to sell its houses.

After developing an interest in who her landlord would be, Nanette then attended a meeting where she eventually became involved with Linstone Housing Association.

She explained: “I went to one meeting — I’ve never left since!” As part of the steering group, Nanette was involved with setting up the Linwood-based Housing Association and now dedicates her time to improving standards in properties both locally and nationally.

And despite having to undergo gruelling radiotherapy treatment while setting up the association, she was determined not to let cancer beat her.

“My consultant told me I had just five years to live, so I decided to make the most of those five years,” Nanette recalled.

“I was being treated with radiotherapy when my daughter-in-law was pregnant with my granddaughter Heather, who is now 19, and I wasn’t allowed to see her until the day after she was born.

“That moment was when I decided I simply wouldn’t give up, so I vowed to make my last five years the best of my life — and I did” “But the funny thing is I’m still here 19 years later, so receiving this award now makes it all the more special.” Widower Nanette, mother to Derek and grandmother to William and Heather, also spends some of her time volunteering with the Scottish Futures Trust at the Scottish Parliament.

“I’m involved with so many projects but it’s very exciting,” the 80-year-old continued.

“I had an axe to grind and I did it. I think surviving cancer made me realise that nobody can give you a deadline but yourself.

“You can sit and say ‘poor me,’ or you can fight back and do something positive with the time you have left.

“People ask me why I’m not retired but I think to myself, why should I? It’s hard to retire when you are a volunteer.

“I’d encourage more young people to volunteer as there’s no better satisfaction in knowing you’ve done something to help other people.”