The head of Facebook in Europe has revealed that she has incurable cancer in the hope that she can raise awareness of the disease and prompt research into a cure.

Mother-of-four Nicola Mendelsohn, 46, was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma more than a year ago and has decided not to "watch and wait" rather than treat her tumours with chemotherapy.

Facebook's vice-president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa has joined forces with other sufferers on the social network to raise the profile of the common but little known about cancer and in the process she said it has "stopped all of us feeling alone with this disease".

Revealing her diagnosis for the first time, she wrote on the social network: "I often talk about how people can seize their own destiny, so it’s tough to be reminded that there are things you can’t control.

"Just over a year ago I was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma – a slow developing cancer of the white blood cells that's not rare and that has no cure. It is quite an unknown disease which is why I've decided to raise awareness by telling my story in the hope of driving research and a better understanding of it."