A woman who lost both her brothers and father within a two year span is hoping to turn tragedy into inspiration.

Fenella Hemus lost her youngest brother to bowel cancer after several months of illness.

A year later, her eldest brother was killed after his motorbike collided with a car in Gap Road, Wimbledon.

Fenella thanked the passer-by who held her brother Angus’s hand while he was trapped under the car in 2002.

“I’m moved by the kindness of that stranger and would like to let them know how grateful my family and I are for their help during such a sad time," she said.

“We never found out who they were, but know their kindness offered comfort to my brother in such a time of need. I also feel for the driver of the other car – it was a tragic accident.”

It was just a year earlier when Fenella’s youngest brother, Aksel, died just months after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. He was just 33.

And a few months after Angus’s death, their dad died from lung cancer at the age of 69 – 15 years after he had given up smoking.

Fenella, 53, said: “Their deaths came as a great shock and I was left reeling from the grief.

"Within two years I had lost most of my family and it took its toll, both physically and emotionally.

“But in time, the key thing I was able to take from their loss was a real appreciation for life. It instilled resilience, which keeps you going and helps you to bounce back from tough times.”

She took some time out and travelled Colombia where she did voluntary work with street children

Fenella returned to the UK and, inspired by Angus, who had been a keen advocate of self-development, looked for ways to help others.

“When we lose someone we love, it’s understandable to focus on the loss," she said.

"But I believe we can remember the good times and pay homage to them by living life to the full.”

The keen climber trained as a personal trainer and nutrition coach, while continuing to work in the field of children’s development and play.

But Fenella noticed many of her clients’ self- sabotaged their own success and suffered from anxiety of some form - and she wanted to understand the mindset behind it.

Angus had shown a keen interest in Neuro Linguistic Programming, which is the study of experiences, communication, thinking, language and behaviour.

Fenella, spurred on by his memory, has gone on to qualify as a master practitioner and trainer in the field – and now also trains people in NLP so they can coach others.

In 2017, Fenella set up AboveBeyond and uses techniques to help business owners and their team "develop their emotional intelligence, self-awareness, self-belief and resilience."

“I believe everybody can change and is capable of amazing things.”