Sandy Hristov

SOMETIMES in life, just when things are at their blackest, the light shifts and suddenly everything is much brighter.

This was the case for Sandy Hristov, who, a couple of years ago had left a bad marriage, and had a teenage son who hated everything about school.

Sandy was told her oldest son, Aidan, had ADHD, and probably wouldn't be getting any GCSEs, she had walked out on her husband, and had been left with nothing.

"When I got out of my marriage I was very low on self confidence, I was living in a friend's spare room, and I was being told that my son was going nowhere," she said.

Sandy's life is now radically different.

She has built up her own mobile disco business, Sandy's Sounds, and pays for her son to attend a boarding school in Somerset, Brymore. Teaching is free, but Sandy has to find living expenses.

Anne-Marie Eldred

In October 2007 Anne-Marie Eldred caused a national sensation after her son, Graiden, came into the world 23 weeks and five days premature, weighing less than a bag of sugar at 1lb 3oz.

For weeks afterwards, Mrs Eldred (26), of Wells Court, Stanground, Peterborough, spent a fraught vigil at Graiden's incubator at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, along with dad Jamie (30), willing him to gain strength.

And in March this year, more than five months after his birth, little Graiden was allowed home.

Mrs Eldred said: "The last few months have been very surreal. We have had a baby, but we haven't actually had him.

"Now he knows me over everyone else and is doing really well.

"It is just great to see him thriving and have him with us at last."

Carmela Testa

WHILE she usually helps bring babies into the world, in January this year it was Carmela Testa's turn to be fussed over by colleagues at Peterborough Maternity Unit, when she gave birth to naturally conceived identical triplets.

The blonde-haired blue-eyed tots – Gabriella, Alessia and Olivia – were born seven weeks' premature by emergency caesarean, after Miss Testa developed high blood pressure.

Miss Testa and her fiancé, Richard Rees, had to wait three weeks until they could bring their "tiny miracles" home because they had to be cared for in incubators.

The 23-year-old, of Walkers Way, Peterborough, said: "It's a miracle. I'm so overwhelmed when I see them. I can't believe they are mine and they are perfect.

"It's like a military operation looking after them."

Related: Meet more Women of Achievement Awards 2008 finalists | Full Women of Achievement Awards coverage - www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/woa