Alison Torrens has adenoid cystic carcinoma ( ACC ) ( Liam McBurney / PA )
Adenoid cystic carcinomas are slow growing but highly infiltrative malignant tumours arising from secretory glands , typically the salivary glands of the head and neck .
ACC can be aggressive and hard to treat due to its tendency to infiltrate along nerves .
Ms Torrens became emotional as she said another motivating factor in her choosing to donate to Queen ’ s in her will , was discovering that two women who lived near her also had ACC .
“ They weren ’ t much younger than me . They were mothers . They ’ re not here now ,” she said .
She added : “ It ’ s treatable if it ’ s caught in time , but I would like the incurable to become curable .
“ So by just giving my permission to the NI bank for cells , and to give a bit of money towards the research , and some PhD student , can actually discover something that can prolong somebody ’ s life and even better , save someone ’ s life – then I will pass away a very happy woman because that will be the best legacy I could give to anybody in this life , is life .”
Despite her terminal diagnosis , Ms Torrens has an overwhelmingly positive outlook , an attitude she says she learned from her father .
Alison Torrens from Portstewart during an interview with the PA news agency ( Liam McBurney / PA )
“ My father broke his leg in 17 places when he was 17 and they said he ’ d never walk again . And my mother always said you ’ re so like your father .