"Helping Horizon was something that just felt right to do...

I had feelings to help my fellow man. Perhaps that was inherent and what drew me to nursing in the first place. I was very grateful as for a long time I had put my own near death experience down to the medications I was given at the time of my experience yet I had never experienced the same thing.

When I was first asked to help I don't think anyone could have imagined the amount of response that we had from the public...

In general much prefer being in the background helping in some small way, however working full time and with family commitments it is increasingly difficult to give as much as I would like to"...

Here is my own near death experience:

"It all came to a head when I collapsed at home and crawled to a telephone. I had a friend who came to my aid and I was eventually admitted to hospital. I had not had anything to drink for 48 hours as any food increased the pain, so my medical condition was not very good. My problem was that I was suffering with an ectopic pregnancy, the tube [fallopian] was rupturing, causing bleeding . I suddenly found myself standing beside myself looking at a cord which connected me to my body and thinking how thin and wispy it was. Someone was beside me. I was made to feel secure and encouraged to trust my companion, who suggested that the cord was insignificant and that I should not concern myself with its fragility. I was guided towards the light. This was a sort of void, in which I found myself with the ability to fly, or should I say I had no weight - a very strange experience. Throughout the journey I kept looking back to ensure my companion was with me but somehow towards the end of the journey I found myself just content to move on and reach the end.

'Reaching the light, I was met by other beings of light and very gently encouraged to move on towards a life review. In this experience my actions were not judged by others, I judged myself. My presence could see into my mind and there was no way I could hide any thoughts. Gently I was encouraged to understand how my mistakes hurt others by experiencing what others had felt as a result of my actions. I was confused, as it all seemed so strange. The word "death" was never mentioned yet somehow I came to understand that I was in that place of spirit where the newly dead move on to. Many questions sprang to mind like how, why? I just had abdominal pain, nothing considered life-threatening. I was told by those in spirit that I had been pregnant. I did not know that I had been pregnant before this; I had just thought that I had abdominal pain. I was also told that the spirit of the child had initially consented to be born and then changed its mind . that it had experienced a very traumatic life before and just could not face life again just yet. Perhaps with love and encouragement it would in the future. I asked to see this spirit and explain that with me and my husband it would have known love. We had been hoping for another baby for some time. There was hesitancy and after a delay one can only assume the spirit concerned was consulted. We spoke together. Poor soul, I really sensed the fear. It felt secure with the brothers around it, who supported it with love. "One day" was the message from the brothers of light. "Be patient with him."

'I was moved forward and eventually met the great God in many religions, a beautiful experience and I can only say that I fully understand why St Paul so wished to be with him, to be in the presence of such unconditional love, humour . understanding. I did not need to speak - thoughts were sufficient. It was as if all were one and shared in his being; his radiance was everywhere. To this day I still look back with elation at this experience.

'I became very distressed and became very concerned at leaving a young 18-month-old baby behind. Who would care for her? My husband was away, no family close by. [God's] compassion was so strong, his love and caring so abundant that by his grace I was allowed to return. I was told that I would have a very special mission to do later in life, when my children grew up. He already knew there would be another. 'I cannot remember much about the return. I recall being at the ceiling of the room and watching two nurses either side of me, working on drips and drains. There was a jolt and in no time I had drifted into what can only be described as sleep.

'I had never read of near death or out of body experiences, terms used today. Two years later my son was born, very sickly, but to this day I have kept my promise given to him in that world of spirit - that I would love him unconditionally as long as he needed me. I created a home of love and as a family we work together to love each other and the world - a small mirror of what I experienced in that land of light. After this experience I have no fear of death and believe with certainty in the afterlife."