DOCTORS gave Graeme Porterfield the devastating news that his cancer was terminal – and then four months later they told him it wasn't.

The 41-year-old, from Dunfermline, was already trying to come to terms with the prospect of having his leg cut off to save his life, due to a "huge" tumour on his pelvis.

But, after a second scan, he was informed there was little point going ahead with the operation, the cancer had spread to his chest and was going to kill him.

Graeme said: "For four months, I thought that was it. I put everything in place as time was running out.

"I had stuff on my (bucket) list but it was all friends and family, as I've got an eight-year-old girl and a boy of four, and I looked into death in service at my work.

"I had more chemo to see if it could help and I wasn't feeling any worse so I pushed to get another scan.

"Luckily, they agreed to it, as I just wanted to double-check, and it came back that my chest was clear. The cancer wasn't terminal."

He continued: "It's a crazy story. They thought I had something in my chest but whatever it was, by the time of the second scan it had gone.

"They said the cancer wasn't terminal and it was back to plan A, to save my life by taking the leg.

"The operation was in September 2019. For the previous four months, I thought the cancer was terminal."

Cancer-free and grateful for a second chance at life, he's organising a gig at PJ Molloy's this summer, with the proceeds going to Sarcoma UK, the charity that was there for him in the darkest of times.

He said: "It's tough to describe the ups and downs. Those three years are like a blur.

"The hardest part was watching my family go through it but I've got a positive outlook.

"I used to worry about stuff that's not important, now I've got a completely new perspective."

That includes the black humour behind his new nickname.

He explained: "After I had the left leg off, I got out of hospital in December 2019 and, three months later, I was back in after catching COVID.

"I couldn't breathe and the ambulance came and got me.

"For three days, I didn't know if I was coming back but they had me on oxygen and I was OK.

"My pals call me the bullet-dodger now! You've got to try and laugh."

Graeme's life-and-death struggles started in 2018 with a sore leg, which hampered him for six months, and doctors put it down to sciatica.

He said: "It got to the point I was on my hands and knees and couldn't walk.

"I was at a Scotland v England under-21s match at Tynecastle and I couldn't get out. I had to get my son and his mate to carry me out, I was in serious pain.

"They pumped me full of drugs, they were still saying it was a bad case of sciatica until the scan came through – a huge tumour on my pelvis."

After finding out the cancer wasn't terminal, they went ahead with the amputation and he now gets around on crutches, although he does have a wheelchair.

Graeme, who is married to Tracy and also has a 22-year-old stepson, said: "Originally, I thought I was going to get a prosthetic leg but there's no way to attach it as all the pelvic bones are gone.

"I just want to enjoy life as best I can.

"I've passed my driving test recently, going back to work (at British Gas) has brought some normality and organising the gig is helping.

"Sarcoma UK deal with rare forms of cancer but they don't get any funding, it's all through donations. They were a big help to me.

"I want to give something back and I'm massively into music, I listen to it every day.

"I go to a lot of gigs and follow a couple of local bands, everyone knows PJs so I thought I'd try and raise as much money as possible with a gig there."

It's on Sunday, August 28, and tickets are available on Eventbrite.

He added: "We've got Twins Town, Stevie Agnew, Jason Duffy and the band I played in at Dunfermline High School, Purple Haze.

"That was with my mates when I was 16, I'm 41 now so it's been a while!

"We've been back rehearsing so it's good fun.

"It's £10 to get in so if we get 300 people in that's £3,000 for the charity straightaway."

Graeme, who now stays in Edinburgh, also has a GoFundMe page to try to cover the costs of putting on the gig. You can donate here: https://gofund.me/22a6c4bc.