Kelly Cornwell, a newly-registered Mental Health Nurse, has faced a year like no other.

Her husband Kevin, a humanitarian aid worker, was taken captive by the Taliban in January 2023 whilst working in Afghanistan.

Two weeks later Kelly, 49, had to undergo emergency surgery, spending five weeks at home in Lancashire recovering from her operation. This forced her to put on hold a professional placement working on acute wards of a mental health hospital which she had to complete to be eligible to successfully complete her nursing degree.