Millies hero vows to tackle charity challenges to raise cash after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer at 37

AN RAF hero honoured at The Sun’s Military Awards is battling terminal lung cancer — but has vowed to tackle a series of challenges for charity.

Flight Sergeant Anna Irwin, 37, launched her fundraising mission this week after being told nine months of chemotherapy had failed to halt the disease.

She first felt ill in February last year after a cross-country skiing and rifle shooting biathlon event.

She said: “I had backache but I assumed it must be from the skiing.

“Then it moved to my chest. I thought I was having a heart attack.

“I went to A&E and they said I had fluid on my lung. They did more tests and a biopsy.”

She was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer in April. Doctors are puzzled because she does not smoke and there are no obvious environmental causes.

Anna, who is based at RAF Odiham, Hants, said: “I’m just unlucky. But I’m still determined to beat this.”

In 2013 she was presented with a Millie award for Most Outstanding Airman by Prince Charles and Camilla for rescuing injured troops in Afghanistan and manning a machine gun as they escaped in a Chinook helicopter.

The Manchester United fan — who met David Beckham when he visited troops in 2010 — aims to climb Ben Nevis, compete in an Ironman event in May and do a parachute jump.