A nurse from Buckfastleigh has been chosen as one of ten finalists in the Inspirational Women of the Year Awards, sponsored by Marks & Spencer in association with leading women's health charity Wellbeing of Women (WoW).
Cindy Harrison, 46, of Holne Road, was nominated by her friend Ruth Robinson for her tireless work in the medical profession, both in this country and Africa.
'I didn't know anything about it. I was completely shocked and surprised. I thought it was a joke when I got the phone call,' she said.
The mother-of-three trained as a nurse in the early 1990s and, keen to increase her skills, she returned to university to train as a nurse practitioner for emergency care and returned again to qualify as a nurse prescriber.
After a family trip to Kenya, Cindy decided to put her skills to use in Africa and since 2004 has made regular trips to different regions, working in hospitals and remote villages where conditions are primitive. In between Cindy enrolled in the London School of Tropical Medicine, where she studied tropical disease and also became a specialist in sexual health, expertise she puts to use on her trips to Africa.
Three years ago, Cindy suffered a huge setback when she was diagnosed with bowel cancer, but despite undergoing major surgery, she was back in Africa six weeks later and made further trips between chemotherapy sessions.
'Cancer affects everyone in different ways. It made me think about some of the things I want to achieve in life. You can make a difference in small ways, which does affect people,' she said.
Thankfully, the cancer is now in remission, only requiring yearly screenings. Cindy funds her trips by holding down not one but three jobs: in the accident and emergency department of Torbay Hospital; in the minor injuries department at Totnes Hospital; and for Devon Doctors Out of Hours Service. Her next trip to the Congo is planned for June 1.
Among her most vivid memories have been nursing aids victims, helping tribal women give birth and working alongside nurses from different countries.
The winner of the award is to be announced at a gala dinner in London on Monday, hosted by Natasha Kaplinsky. The lucky winner will win a luxury break for two plus an additional £500 worth of M&S gift vouchers.
M&S chairman Sir Stuart Rose said: 'We are very proud to be supporting the Inspirational Women of the Awards for the third consecutive year. Once again, we have been simply blown away by so many of the women who were nominated and it has been extremely difficult to choose the finalists.'