Air charter firm Elite Helicopters is offering apprenticeships for ex-servicemen left badly injured and disabled in conflicts like Afghanistan and Iraq.

It is one of a growing number of small firms that have discovered that skills offered by war veterans can prove invaluable in the workplace.

The opportunity also benefits ex-Armed Forces unable to return to the front line due to injury and facing an uncertain future. The Poppy Factory – the charity that makes commemorative poppies for the Royal British Legion – is also hoping to help with a £4 million pledge to get 500 war wounded into work.

Former Royal Marine Alec Robotham, 25, of Clanfield in Hampshire, started his apprenticeship with Elite Helicopters in January. In July 2010 he was almost killed when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive while walking past him while on patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The bomb shattered both legs and maimed his right arm.

Alec says: ‘After the slow recover it was a question of what next? The future felt bleak – I could not longer fight for my country. My careers officer told me about an initiative to train injured soldiers as helicopter pilots – a childhood dream. Although not so physically demanding as being a Royal Marine my brain still feels like it is on a Commando course.’

Alec began 12-month intensive training at the start of the year with help from a £15,000 grant from The Poppy Factory. The total cost for obtaining a full commercial pilot’s licence will exceed £50,000. As an apprentice he will be given practical support and training but Alec must also pay his way as a flight marshal and be involved in other ground operations. Elite Helicopters hopes to take on up to half a dozen war wounded apprentices this year.

Mark Radcliffe, pilot for Elite Helicopters is aiming to set up a charity called Wings 4 Warriors to help provide additional funding support if necessary.

Mark says: ‘This is not just about doing a good turn – it is a hard-nosed business decision where employers get highly skilled professionals. The level of commitment and determination these ex-servicemen bring is inspirational for the workplace.’

The Poppy Factory has already helped find work and apprenticeships for a hundred injured and disabled ex-servicemen and hopes to help get 400 more in employment over the next three years. Jobs that have been found range from golf course green keepers to company managing directors.

Melanie Waters, chief executive at The Poppy Factory, says: ‘There are a wide range of transferable skills picked up from being in the military. These men and women also have a level of resilience and dedication to hard work that makes them great in a team. The support we give is career management and aimed at benefiting employers.’

Leeds Business School research calculates transferable skills picked up in the military can be worth £9,000 a year. These include management, leadership, decision making, coping under pressure, teamwork, discipline and organisation.

>> Click here to find out more about the Poppy Factory

>> For more on Elite Helicopters, click here

Patients are 16% more likely to die if they are admitted on a Sunday than a Wednesday, and 11% more likely to die if they are admitted on a Saturday.

For every 100 deaths following admissions on a Wednesday, 116 occur for admissions on a Sunday – a “significant increased risk”, the researchers said.

It follows a report in November which found patients needing emergency care are almost 10% more likely to die if they are admitted on weekends and are less likely to receive prompt treatment.

The new analysis covered all admissions – more than 14.2 million – to NHS hospitals in England during 2009/10, including both emergency and planned admissions.

It looked at more than 187,300 patient deaths within 30 days of being admitted to hospital.

The researchers found higher death rates if patients went in on a weekend but a slightly lower death rate if people were already in hospital on a weekend.

Being already in hospital on a Sunday led to an 8% reduced risk of dying on that day compared to already being in hospital on a Wednesday.

The medical conditions resulting in the biggest number of in-hospital deaths included pneumonia, congestive heart failure, heart attack, septicaemia, acute renal failure, urinary tract infections and neck or hip fracture.

The experts, including from University College London and the Universities of Birmingham and East Anglia, wrote in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (JRSM): “We identified a significantly higher risk of subsequent in-hospital death during the 30-day follow-up period associated with admission during the weekend (Saturday or Sunday), compared to mid-week days.

“Admission on Tuesday through Friday was associated with the lowest risk of in-hospital death, while admission on Sunday was associated with the highest risk.

“Admission on Saturday was associated with a marked increased mortality (death) risk and admission on Monday was associated with a less, but statistically significant, increased risk.”

Lead researcher Professor Domenico Pagano, from the University Hospital Birmingham Foundation Trust, added: “These results offer conclusive evidence that confirms previous reports of increased 30-day mortality risk for patients admitted to hospital with emergency conditions at the weekend compared with the rest of the week.”

He said several reasons may be behind the findings, including that patients who are seriously ill can find themselves admitted on weekends.

If they were less ill, they would have had their admissions postponed until a week day.

Prof Pagano also said reduced staffing and fewer senior doctors on duty as well as poor access to diagnostic tests on weekends could have an effect.

His team said seven-day access to “all aspects of care” could improve the outcomes for higher-risk patients currently admitted on weekends.

On Sunday, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley suggested more could be done to boost the number of senior doctors working weekends.

Mr Lansley told the Sunday Telegraph: “By opening some services seven days a week, more patients will get the care and treatment that they need when they need it.

“In some parts of the NHS, this is already happening. We will work with all the professional associations to encourage progress on this across the NHS.

“By increasing the number of consultants who are on duty at the weekends, we will both strengthen the training of junior doctors and improve quality of care for patients.”

Last November, the Hospital Guide, from Dr Foster Intelligence, found that around one in eight trusts had higher-than-expected death rates on Saturdays and Sundays.

It said hospitals with the fewest senior doctors on duty have the highest death rates overall.

In a “handful” of trusts, the death rate rose by 20% or more at weekends.

Previous studies have also found the risk of dying in NHS hospitals on weekends and bank holidays is higher than during the week.

Mr Lansley added: “It is unacceptable that patients admitted to hospital on a Saturday or Sunday stay longer and have worse results.

“Much of the rest of the country continues to be open for the public’s needs at weekends – an NHS that revolves around patients should be the same.”

According to the NHS, 25,000 to 30,000 deaths are linked to the cold weather in the UK every year.

Here is some advice on staying warm and making the best use of heating at home:

:: Keep your home warm during the day

Heat your living room to 18C-21C (64F-70F) and the rest of the house to at least 16C (61F).

Heat all the rooms you use in the day and your bedroom before you go to bed.

Set the timer on your heating to come on before you wake up and switch off when you go to bed.

:: Stay warm and safe at night

Try to keep the temperature above 18C (65F) in your bedroom overnight.

Never use hot water bottles in the same bed as an electric blanket, even if the blanket is switched off.

:: Wrap up warm

Several thin layers are better than one thick one.

Wear clothes made of wool, cotton or fleecy synthetic fibres.

Remember a hat, scarf and gloves when you go out, and wear bed socks and thermal underwear at night.

:: Eat well

Have plenty of hot food and drinks.

Regular meals will help maintain your energy levels.

:: Keep moving

Exercise is good for keeping you warm in winter. Try to move around at least once an hour.

:: Insulation

Fit draught excluders to seal gaps around windows and doors.

Ensure your loft has at least 10in (25cm) of insulation.

:: Financial support

Money may be available through the Warm Front scheme, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments.

>> If you are worried about an elderly person you can contact Age UK on 0800 169 8787 or click the link to visit www.ageuk.org.uk

>> FMWF would like to know your views and hear about the issues affecting you and those you care for. You can comment below or email whocares@fmwf.com.

By Sarah Whitebloom

Another voice cried in the wilderness: something has to be done urgently over the mess that is care for the elderly in Britain today. Older people all over the country have been abandoned to their fate. It is a national disgrace. And lo it came to pass that nothing was done – or at least not yet.

Last week [24 February] the Commons Health Select Committee became the latest group to warn about the burgeoning crisis in care for the elderly. The Alzheimer’s Society, Age UK and a host of others must be hoarse by now with all the wilderness crying they have been doing. Even the Government, as Who Cares? noted last year, has been making all sorts of noise about the need to improve the way we treat the elderly.

Yet the King’s Fund estimates there are about 800,000 older people who need care but receive none. Many others get some help but are barely managing, despite being in chronic need.

And what has been the response of our local authorities? These august authorities, that are charged with delivering care to the elderly, are cutting care services and upping their charges. The Select Committee found that two thirds of councils were slashing their social care budgets while half had increased what the elderly have to pay. The fees that councils will pay for care homes have also gone down and it’s getting more difficult in some areas even to get hand rails and other living aids provided.

This will come as no surprise, of course, to anyone trying to get help for elderly relatives. The switchboard operator at our local authority told me last week that I would be lucky if the area adult help desk answered my call. She told me: ‘It’s easier to speak to God than one of them.’

Six phone calls later and I have managed only a brief conversation with someone from the Help Desk, who phoned to tell me he was going to get back to me. As yet, I have heard nothing, although my call concerned a pressing matter.

Of course, in this current climate, councils are having to make less money go further and they are having to make cuts in some of their services. Care budgets offer a big, fat opportunity for them to save money. And elderly people are not often in a position to complain or make a fuss. So, it may be a shocking disgrace, but it is not surprising that services for older people are being lined up to take such deep cuts.

One local authority chief told me that it was a difficult balancing act. He maintained they are trying to target the funding at people who really need it, cutting out those who abuse services.

Given the rigorous means testing and interviews, it seems unlikely that there are legions of elderly care scroungers, sponging off local authorities. Indeed, it is difficult to get many older people to seek help, even if they need it and qualify for it. All too often, one hears stories of older people insisting that they can manage, even when they clearly cannot.  All this will only discourage them further.

But if all those 800,000, who receive no help, were given the assistance they need, how on earth would councils pay for it from their reduced care budgets?

The Select Committee said ‘fundamental changes are needed in the way social care is delivered’. But it acknowledged that until the Government puts a new system in place, there is not much that can be done.

So all eyes are now on the Government. It is due to put forward proposals on the future funding of social care this Spring. Finally an answer to those voices in the wilderness? It couldn’t get any worse… could it?

The health department and its regulator submitted a report to French health minister Xavier Bertrand with recommendations based on a near two-year investigation into Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), the now-closed breast implant maker.

The two agencies cited a host of lapses in France and the European Union that allowed PIP – without being caught – to fill its implants with a homemade silicone gel instead of the medical silicone it said it was using.

In March 2010, the regulator AFSSAPS began its investigation and uncovered the ruse.

Surprise on-site visits to manufacturers, better communication between national health and regulatory agencies and a simpler method for surgeons to alert authorities to their concerns about medical devices were needed, the report found.

European Union law related to medical devices “must be radically redrafted,” said the report.

The directive related to such devices depends largely on self-policing by manufacturers once their products are approved for sale. They must submit to annual audits by outside certification agencies – which only report back to government health agencies in case of problems – but surprise visits to factories are rare.

“We don’t necessarily have reliable data from manufacturers because it is the maker ‘self-analysing’ problems…,” said AFSSAPS’ general director, Dominique Maraninchi.

PIP’s actions, he said, were “well-organised fraud.”

“Without unannounced visits, this company was so well organised as to be able to cover up,” said Maraninchi. “It provided samples that conformed (to regulation) but in reality it was making another, obviously non-standard product.”

The agencies recommended that clinical tests, which must be performed before the medical device is approved for sale, should be required following that approval.

Government and outside agencies also need to communicate better so that problems occurring with a medical device in one country are signalled to other countries’ health authorities.

In December, French health authorities recommended that the 30,000 womenin France with PIP implants have them removed. AFSSAPS says their rupture rates are higher than other brands of implants, and its gel can cause irritation and inflammation.

The founder and head of PIP, Jean-Claude Mas – who claims his homemade silicone gel is not harmful to women – was arrested last week and faces a charge of causing bodily harm.

The Britain’s Got Talent judge is said to be “thrilled” to be back at her home in south west London with new daughter Hollie.

Holden, 40, was in intensive care for several days after giving birth eight days ago.

Her return home was confirmed by her spokeswoman, Alison Griffin.

Holden and her husband, Chris Hughes, a record producer, have expressed their gratitude to medical staff for her care.

The TV star is understood to have had a blood transfusion due to complications with the caesarean birth, although the couple have not given any details.

Ms Griffin said: “We are delighted to say that Amanda is now home.

“She and Chris would like to thank everyone who was involved in her care for their amazing skill and dedication, and also to thank everyone who sent such kind thoughts and wishes during this time.

“She is, of course, thrilled to be home with her family – Hollie is absolutely beautiful and Amanda and Chris are completely besotted with their two girls.”

Hollie weighed in at just over 6lb and was said to be healthy. The couple already had one daughter, Lexi.

Holden was in a critical condition following the birth, but was “stable” by Wednesday, when news of her medical condition and the new arrival was announced.

The TV favourite, who has been married to Hughes since 2008, was in good health throughout the pregnancy until she went into hospital last week.

She has had previous difficulties.

She lost a child last year, seven months into a pregnancy, and in 2010 she suffered a miscarriage.

And there was drama just days after Holden went public about her latest pregnancy when she was involved in a collision with a lorry that left her car a write-off.

The ordeal forced her to miss some performances of Shrek The Musical, in which she was starring at the time, and she left the production shortly afterwards.

Holden – previously married to comic actor Les Dennis – missed auditions for Britain’s Got Talent last week.

Show colleagues have sent best wishes.

Fellow judge Alesha Dixon said: “I’ve sent her a message of support and I wish her a speedy recovery.

“I love Amanda to bits – I’m missing my partner in crime and can’t wait for her to come back.”

Enough was enough for Julie Parnell when she added up the cost of her 40 cigarettes-a-day habit. Keen to start her own business and get on the property ladder, she went cold turkey.

‘I was spending around £13 a day on cigarettes,’ says Julie. ‘When I realised that was almost £400 a month, it was the wake-up call I needed.’

Julie, 41, had saved up a small deposit towards a house but did not earn enough to pay a mortgage. She realised that if she gave up smoking, she could afford it.

‘I’d dreamed of owning my own place but never thought I would have the means,’ says Julie, who has a grown-up daughter. ‘But after giving up smoking I had so much more disposable income. Getting the mortgage was much easier than I thought and my monthly repayments are now £350 – less than I spent on cigarettes.’

It meant she could buy a Fifties three-bedroom semi in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.

Julie has also given up her job running a sheltered housing complex to start up her own business selling ‘shabby chic’ household items at markets and fairs. Provided she gets to grips with all the red tape, Shabby Chic Barn will be launched within weeks.

‘Life has changed so much. I feel healthier and happier because I’m pursuing a business dream,’ says Julie. ‘I would not have had the confidence to do this if I hadn’t been in my own home.’

The benefits don’t stop there for Julie. Like other non-smokers, she will eventually be eligible for cheaper life and critical illness cover.

Matt Morris at specialist broker LifeSearch says: ‘Smokers are more likely to have to claim for serious illness or death and that is reflected in higher premiums.’

About ten million people in Britain smoke, according to the charity Cancer Research UK, and they have to pay more for life insurance.

A 40-year-old man needing £100,000 of life and critical illness cover for 25 years would pay £94 a month if he was a smoker. A non-smoker could buy the same cover for only £53.

Reformed smokers have to be clean of all nicotine products, including patches, for at least 12 months before they can apply for cover as a nonsmoker.

Some insurers can request a cotinine test, which checks levels of nicotine in the body.

Julie has been using electronic cigarettes from ecigarettedirect.co.uk to help her beat her addiction. These battery-operated cigarettes use cartridges of liquid nicotine, so although there is no tar or tobacco, for the time being Julie is still considered a smoker by the insurance industry.

Morris at LifeSearch says it is important not to cancel existing life or critical illness policies until a new one is in place.

‘After you’ve been nicotine-free for 12 months you can see whether your existing premium will be reduced by re-broking your policy,’ he says.

‘The cost saving will depend on factors such as the age you were when you took out the existing policy and whether you have had any significant illnesses or conditions in the meantime, which could push up premiums, despite now being a non-smoker.

‘If you have suffered major health problems in the intervening years, it is possible that a new policy could be more expensive after underwriting.’

When it pays to be unhealthy

The one financial transaction when it pays to be a smoker is buying a pension annuity – an income for life.

This is because your life expectancy is lower. Yet fewer than a third of those who are eligible for an enhanced or impaired life annuity get one.

‘Enhanced annuities can considerably boost annual income,’ says Bob Bullivant of Annuity Direct, based in Ryde, Isle of Wight. ‘Looking across the whole annuity market is even more important if you have a health or lifestyle condition, such as smoking or high blood pressure.’

For a 65-year-old man with a £100,000 pension pot buying a level annuity guaranteed for ten years, a non-smoker would get an annual income of £5,888.

A smoker with high blood pressure and high cholesterol would get £7,441, according to Annuity Direct.

The definition of a smoker in these cases is somebody who smokes at least 20 a day. A smaller enhancement is available for lighter smokers, down to ten a day.

Those who smoke less are unlikely to be offered any enhancement. Smokers will usually be required to complete a full medical questionnaire.

The paradox may be explained by the way the mutations affect the biology of tumours once they have formed, scientists believe.

It is thought they could weaken tumours by allowing their DNA to become damaged.

Faulty BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes raise the risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.

Women with the mutations have a much greater than normal chance of developing ovarian cancer during their lifetime.

But the new study, which combined results from more than 1,200 women taking part in 26 international trials, showed their survival rate was greater than sufferers without the defects.

A total of 44% of women with BRCA 1 faults and 52% with BRCA 2 faults were still alive five years after being diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer, the most common form of the disease.

In contrast just 36% of women without a BRCA mutation survived as long as five years.

The findings are published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Lead researcher Dr Paul Pharoah, from Cambridge University, said: “Our study is the largest on this topic to date, looking at just over 900 ovarian cancer patients with faulty BRCA 1 genes and just over 300 with faulty BRCA 2 genes.

“Our results could change the way ovarian cancer is treated. Women with BRCA faults respond better than we thought to current treatments but it’s important that researchers now look at what treatment approaches work best for women without those genetic faults.

“We also need to consider how our results affect research. Clinical trials should be designed to take this difference in survival into account. Otherwise trial results may not be an accurate reflection of what’s really going on.”

The normal role of BRCA genes is to repair damage to DNA, which reduces the risk of cancer.

But scientists believe once cancer has formed defective BRCA might be an asset, making it harder for tumours to fix damaged DNA and weakening them. This would make them more vulnerable to chemotherapy and other treatments.

Each year around 6,800 British women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Up to 90% have epithelial ovarian cancer, and an estimated 10% of these women carry BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 mutations.

Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest women’s cancers because it is often diagnosed late. Around 4,400 women in the UK die from the disease each year.

Dr Julie Sharp, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, which funded the research, said: “This is an intriguing study with important implications for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

“Women with faulty BRCA genes have up to a 40% chance of developing ovarian cancer by the age of 70, but now we know that they are also more likely to survive the disease.

“Interestingly, this difference in survival isn’t seen in women with breast cancer who have faulty BRCA genes, so understanding why we’re seeing this in ovarian cancer could reveal some clues on how to improve treatment for the disease.”

Shadow public health minister Diane Abbott said she had walked out of a new cross-party abortion group set up by the Government to look at the issue of counselling following the defeat.

She accused the Government of “ploughing ahead” with the controversial abortion changes, saying the new group was a “front” for pushing through the plans which were “unwanted, undemocratic and unsubstantiated with evidence”.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) also expressed dismay at what it sees as aims to implement the changes anyway.

MPs voted by 368 votes to 118 – a majority of 250 – to reject an amendment on the issue by Tory backbencher Nadine Dorries in the Commons in September.

It would have stripped providers including Marie Stopes and BPAS from offering counselling to women.

This was designed to provide greater opportunities for independent counsellors, some of whom are accused of being influenced by pro-life groups.

Public health minister Anne Milton said just before the vote that the Government would try to implement the spirit of Ms Dorries’ proposal without the need for legislation.

She said: “The Government supports the spirit of the amendments, and we intend to present proposals for regulations after consultation.”

The cross-party group has now been meeting to discuss three proposals, which could include stripping providers of their current role, to form part of this consultation.

The cross-party group includes Ms Milton and Ms Dorries.

Ms Abbott, who voted against the amendment in the Commons, said the Government still intended to strip providers of their roles.

In a letter to Ms Milton, she said: “I entered into the meetings in good faith.

“I was genuinely interested in improving the quality of counselling available to women.

“But I now believe the ‘consultation’ will be a front for driving through the anti-choice lobbyists’ preferred option without legislation or a debate on the floor of the House.”

She added: “There is no doubt which option the Government wants to drive through. There will be no legislation or debate in Parliament.

“These changes are unwanted, undemocratic and unsubstantiated with evidence.

“I think women and families across the country will be as horrified as I am by the way the Government is trying to turn the clocks back.

“The talks that have taken place have been little more than window dressing for what is an aggressive, anti-choice campaign and I am walking away from them.

“It’s a group of ‘Tea Party Tories’ who are determined to plough ahead, despite these policies being decisively rejected by Parliament, by the medical profession and also by the British public.

“I think we need to fight back against these policies.

“Women in this country want to have choice over their fertility and that is a basic human right.”

Critics of the existing system say clinics currently offer biased information, because their funding from the Government depends on the number of terminations they carry out.

Pro-life campaigners believe introducing independent counselling could reduce the number of abortions.

BPAS and others say changing the way counselling is provided would be damaging to women.

Ann Furedi, BPA chief executive, said: “It is shocking that the minister and officials can disregard so blatantly the advice they have received from those who provide care, to pursue the ideologically-driven demands of a handful of MPs who know nothing of how services are run – and have made no effort to find out.

“This is despite an overwhelming Parliamentary defeat of Nadine Dorries’ amendment last year.

“It is wrong for an important aspect of care to be politicised in this way.

“We are frankly stunned that officials can even consider dismantling the existing care pathways which have developed in response to what women want and need, and that they have approved and regulated without any concern until Nadine Dorries tabled her amendment.

“Specialist counselling on unwanted pregnancy simply cannot be delivered by people who don’t understand abortion services.

“Regulations on pregnancy counselling have been in force since 1968. If officials believe they have been abused – they should say so.”

Days before last year’s vote, it emerged Prime Minister David Cameron did not back the amendment.

Ms Milton said: “It’s disappointing when anyone walks away from constructive talks on such an important issue. Talks are continuing encompassing the wide range of views on abortion.

“I believe we have all been encouraged about how constructive they have been and how well the meetings are progressing.

“We will publish the options for public consultation soon.”

Ms Dorries said she found it “bizarre” that Ms Abbott would walk away from the group which would lead to a public consultation on the issue.

She said: “It’s a public consultation. Parliament frequently does not reflect the views of the public on these things.

“It’s not MPs deciding, it’s not Government deciding, it’s not me deciding as an individual – it’s a decision for the public, to have their say.”

She said evidence showed that in some areas of the country where counselling is offered, up to 30% of women do not go ahead with an abortion but in parts of the country where it is not offered, the figure is about 10%.

“A lot of women don’t want to abort but they feel they are on a conveyor belt they can’t get off.”

She said the issue was about whether women should be offered counselling.

Ms Dorries also accused Ms Abbott of only turning up to two out of three meetings and of being late.

A spokeswoman for Marie Stopes International said: “The women we serve every day are of the utmost importance to us.

“Women contact us because they know they can access impartial, non-directive and expert support from trained counsellors.

“It is important that a wide range of views are incorporated into the consultation process.

“As the leading provider of sexual and reproductive health services in the UK, we have a unique viewpoint to add to the consultation and are looking forward to working with the Department of Health, and other interested parties, once it is launched.”

[Press Association] A 20-year-old woman who was inspired to lose nearly half her body weight after winning her fight against cancer has been named Slimming World’s Miss Slinky 2012.

Emma Parker shed more than 8st after believing she had been given a second chance at life.

In August 2010, aged 18 and already unhappy with her weight, the customer services adviser from Jacksdale, Nottinghamshire, was devastated when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

But when doctors confirmed she was beating the disease, she decided to join her local Slimming World group and managed to lose 8st 3.5lb and drop seven dress sizes in just seven months.

Miss Parker said: “Having Hodgkin’s lymphoma made me realise how important life is and not to take things like your health for granted.

“I wanted to be as healthy as I could so that if anything ever happened again I would be fitter and stronger, and I wanted to change everything that made me unhappy, which my weight definitely did.”

Miss Parker, who lives with her parents and works for the Co-operative Group, was overweight from the age of eight or nine.

At her heaviest she weighed more than 18st and found even simple tasks like cleaning, walking the dog or climbing stairs left her out of breath and her joints aching.

Then, 18 months ago, she discovered a lump in her neck and was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

She said: “I’d been struggling with my breathing a lot and even started using an inhaler, then I got a cough that wouldn’t go away.

“I thought it was all down to my weight so it was a real shock when I found out I had cancer, especially as I was only 18.

“Now I’ve lost weight I feel so much fitter and healthier and I don’t get out of breath any more – even when I go jogging.”

After undergoing 12 gruelling chemotherapy sessions and a biopsy, she was delighted when doctors decided she did not need further treatment and, with her doctor’s approval, she started her weight loss journey by joining her local Slimming World group in Leabrooks, Alfreton, in March last year.

By October she had reached her target weight of 9st 11lb and had gone from a size 22 to a size 10.

She went on: “I never tried any diets because I didn’t believe they’d work for me and I thought I’d always be big.

“My auntie was going to Slimming World and every time I saw her she looked better and better.

“I was nervous because I thought I’d be the youngest person there and worried people would laugh or stare, but there were people of all ages and I got such a warm welcome I immediately felt more relaxed.

“The results have been unbelievable too.”

She started following Slimming World’s Food Optimising healthy eating plan and replaced takeaways and fatty foods with healthy home-cooked meals including her favourite chilli con carne and rice.

She said: “It isn’t really a diet. There’s so much variety that I’ve never felt bored and it encouraged me to try lots of new foods.

“I lost 4lb in my first week and that’s when I knew I could really do it, because I realised I could lose weight without feeling like I was missing out on the things I like.”

Her group voted for her to represent them in Slimming World’s Miss Slinky 2012 competition and now she has been named the national winner she plans to spend her £2,000 winnings on a new size 10 wardrobe.

Miss Parker, who is hoping to be able to celebrate being given the all-clear for a year next month, added: “Losing weight hasn’t just changed the way I look, it’s changed my whole outlook on life.

“I’m so much happier now and I believe I can achieve anything I want to. I feel that after having cancer, I’ve been given a second chance and I want to make the most of it.”