a RARE cancer robbed Georgia Mills of her chance to be a mother.

She was just 36 when diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2006 and was forced to have a radical hysterectomy that led to instant menopause.

The 41-year-old will join 30,000 Australians as part of the Forgotten Cancers Project as researchers try to uncover the causes of rare cancers such as hers.

Ms Mills had never heard of uterine cancer when she went to her GP suffering abnormal bleeding.

"It’s very rare for young women to get it, so when I was presenting with these different symptoms, it didn’t even register as a possible cause with doctors. So I wasn’t diagnosed until it was at quite an advanced stage," Ms Mills said.

"More research of lesser-known cancers will put them on the radar of doctors."

As she came to terms with her cancer diagnosis, she was also forced to deal with her chance to have children being snatched away.

"I had suddenly become infertile … just when I was wanting to look at that path," she said. "I just had to be very realistic about being grateful for being alive. So you learn very quickly to let go of things when the options are either not being here or not having children."

These days, Ms Mills is working as a trainer for marriage celebrants and preparing for a marathon to celebrate her five-year survival date in November.

She also does voluntary work with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and provides phone support for newly-diagnosed patients.

In Victoria each year, more than 470 women are diagnosed with cancer of the uterus, which is more common in women aged over 50 than younger women.

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