Single parent, mother-of-three Cheryl's lowest point was when she was found out she had to undergo eight months of chemotherapy for her breast cancer. That was in August 2006 when she had just completed her footcare exams.

Today, Cheryl, pictured right, runs an expanding business – Take Care Footcare – which includes home visits and a four-day-a-week clinic in Spalding.

Her success in battling cancer and establishing herself in business has been rewarded by the Trading Places Awards accolade.

As a single parent, Cheryl has always struggled financially. Determined not to be dependent on benefits, in 2005 she enrolled at Peterborough Regional college to study holistic therapy.

During this time, Cheryl spotted a gap in the market for qualified footcare and signed up for another course specialising in this area.

Unfortunately, a week before her final exams, Cheryl was diagnosed with breast cancer and took the brave decision to put off her surgery in order to take her exams.

Over the next few months, her dream of becoming a non-surgical footcare specialist would get her through both chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Once Cheryl had recovered, there was nothing standing in her way.

She qualified as a non-surgical footcare specialist in May 2007 and in July started home visits in the Peterborough and Spalding areas.

Following a visit to the JobCentre she was put on the Welland Enterprise scheme and, on January 18, 2008, she became self-employed.

Cheryl's mobile footcare business, Take Care Footcare, services those in her local community who are housebound, disabled or elderly. Due to her impressive 90 per cent referral rate.

Barclays marketing director for local business, John Davis, a judge on the panel, said: "The Trading Places Awards honour unsung heroes who, in spite of disadvantages or personal challenges, have taken steps to grow their own sustainable business and in doing so have transformed their prospects for the better.

"The calibre of this year's entries is really outstanding and we hope that with this recognition Take Care Footcare will continue on the road to success.

"We also hope Cheryl's story will inspire other budding entrepreneurs in the East of England, who face similar difficulties in their private lives, to come forward and turn their own business dreams into reality."

The 10 national finalists of the awards will attend a glittering gala dinner in London in October.

For details of Take Care Footcare home visits, call Cheryl on 07748 937531. The Spalding clinic is open from 9.30am to 5pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and 9.30am to 1pm on Saturday. For details, call 01775 760306.