People often ask how and why I do what I do when the businesses seem so different. That’s a great question, so get comfy and let me begin . . . For as long as I can remember, I have always had an enquiring mind and an interest in the natural health arena (not just for us but also for our pets). With a Dad as an engineer, I have always looked for solutions and better, simpler, safer ways to do things. This is exactly why I founded ThermaVUE® Medical Thermal Imaging for the 100% safe, non-invasive, non-contact, no radiation, earliest detection of the markers for breast cancer and hormone imbalances in the breast. To fully explain the ‘link’ I have to take you back to Christmas 2006. I had just arrived in the UK from South Africa on holiday from my position as Area Manager for one of the leading metal roofing companies in South Africa to visit my folks and enjoy family get together over Christmas. As we put the kettle on to make a brew, Dad relayed how he had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Yes, breast cancer. What a shock! He had noticed a single drop of blood through one of his nipples, which, looking back, this was his one and only lifesaving sign. He had been told that he was just ‘unlucky’ and was waiting for a date for surgery. That Christmas was definitely not the same as anyone in a similar situation will appreciate. Dad subsequently had a mastectomy in the January (having previously packed me back off to my job in South Africa). Dad preferred to not talk about it, so we respected his privacy and he just got on with the business of healing (as he always does) though it was with very little support from the national health service. I’m very proud of him for that (amongst other things, of course!) Fast forward to 2015. At this time, after relocating to the UK from South Africa in 2011, and running an embroidery business, attending many outdoor events and Winchester open market 3 times a week, I discovered and went on to learn how to invest in property, and after completing several residential projects in the Midlands, launched and hosted a property network meeting in Portsmouth. I hosted that for 3 years while also setting up the Knightsbrook Property Investors Club. Well, in 2015, as I was in the throes of launching the networking event in November, my Mum (then aged 80) was also diagnosed with breast cancer having felt two lumps in her right breast. She had had a mammogram only 2 years prior to that and been given the ‘all clear’. What I know now, is that the tumours would have been there, they were just not big enough to be detected by the mammogram X-rays. Mum too had to have a mastectomy and her healing journey was not quite the same as it was for Dad, but thankfully neither of them had to have body destroying chemotherapy or radiotherapy. With both my folks being diagnosed, it did of course start me to wonder why, that when breast cancer is diagnosed it is already very serious, being diagnosed ‘just in time’ and sadly sometimes even ’too late’. I wondered how I could have helped my folks better, realising I was now also (knowingly) more at risk due to family history than (knew) I was before. (what I know now, is that while family history does elevate and increase your risk of breast cancer, 85% of new breast cancer cases are where there is no family history). So I began to research heavily, wanting to find ways to support my Mum through the healing process as well as wanting an answer as to how to detect breast cancer early – and early enough to reduce and mitigate the risk. Ozone therapy was introduced by a friend and I attended a training in Florida and coincidently (though nothing happens by chance) found thermography for animals. Some kind introductions and many questions later, I successfully completed a training programme and qualified as a certified thermographic technician, investing in certified high tech infrared camera system and launching ThermaVUE® Medical Thermal Imaging to make this 100% safe, pain-free, radiation-free, non-invasive, non-contact imaging available to help women take a proactive approach to their health, so the earliest warnings can give time to make better lifestyle choices to reduce and mitigate their risk of this terrible disease, ultimately saving lives and saving women from having to undergo surgery. My focus now its to educate so women can be aware this technology is available to help them (and men). Another huge benefit of thermal imaging is that it can help in the diagnosis of many other vascular, circulatory, metabolic, endocrine, neuromusculoskeletal and inflammatory conditions that often go undiagnosed. Property Development / Investing The property investors club continues to help Investors and Joint Venture Partners put their ‘lazy’, under-performing assets to work by leveraging their time with my experience and knowledge. I do the work (well, with the help of a team of consultants), so they don’t have to. The Club offers excellent financial returns on short, medium and long term property developments involving refurbishment, conversion of commercial and industrial buildings, title splitting, new builds and / or planning gain. I have a varied background from banking, to casinos, hospitality and catering, and have over 20 years sales, marketing and managerial experience in construction related industries covering civil engineering, industrial roofing, coated steel coil for modular applications, architectural glass and aluminium working across a variety of market sectors from luxury residential dwellings to large commercial buildings, industrial warehouses, major shopping centres and even the King Shaka International Airport in Durban, South Africa. My property journey began in South Africa where I purchased my first property back in 1992 and subsequently became an accidental landlord. I realised there was money to be made through property but at that time did not know about the creative strategies to raise finance, so in line with regulations in South Africa at the time, I invested in my education, studied and qualified as an Estate Agent in both lettings and sales. More recently I've completed several residential projects in the Midlands as project manager, involving refurbishment and conversions (requiring planning permission), land planning gain with planning permission, title splitting and flips and am a landlady with HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) with high-end self-contained rooms. Creative and ‘can-do’ by nature, I am particularly interested in larger commercial and industrial conversions involving title splitting and am also involved in a unique resort refurbishment and fractional title project based in Florida where the intension is to replicate this strategy to develop out resort type properties in the UK. I have also flipped property at auction and have had the misfortune to experience a relatively uncommon failed auction sale. Having experienced this from the vendors’ point of view it affords some knowledge and understanding and possible advantages that I can share with both vendors and auction buyers. They say property is a peoples' business and through bitter experience am also able to share some valuable insights on setting up partnerships and JV’s, by aligning all important values and how to avoid the unseen pitfalls. In November 2015, as event organiser and host, I proudly launched a brand new and the first property network meeting of its’ kind in Portsmouth and successfully hosted the meeting for 3 years at Langstone Hotel, Hayling Island, building a local supportive community of property investors, developers and service providers. This support is extended through the private Investors’ Club, which helps bring investors, developers and projects together in a safe, structured arrangement, helping investors gain experience, build confidence and ultimately to make money by leveraging skills, experience and available funds. Outside of property and thermal imaging, I have a keen interest in holistic approaches to health and wellness, am an avid animal lover and have an Old English Sheepdog. This in part explains the online Dog Food business BrightEyes-BushyTails.co.uk that provides a variety of healthy gourmet wheat & grain free dry foods and treats, all of which are formulated by top UK nutritionists to be gentle on digestion to support healthy happy dogs as members of the family. Watch this space for news on the inclusion of natural health and wellness therapies for animals Do you know anyone who has a property to sell? We are looking for a stand-alone building with enough parking, quite surroundings, on the outskirts of Southampton or Winchester, but with easy access from M3 or M27 for our holistic health and wellness clinic. We are also particularly interested in freehold commercial office blocks, light industrial buildings, blocks of flats, resort type properties or tired or run-down properties that need to be brought back to their former glory for projects for the investors club, Thanks for reading this far. If I can help in any way, please get in touch.