When Tracey Barraclough discovered she had inherited a gene which substantially increased the risk of cancer she took probably the toughest choice of her life.

Genetic testing at Leeds’ famous St James's Hospital, Leeds confirmed she stood an 85 per cent chance of developing the disease.

Having lost her mother, grandmother and great grandmother to ovarian cancer she opted to have her breasts, womb and ovaries surgically removed in order to reduce the risk.

It was a daunting decision for this Yorkshire wife and mother but she was helped through this difficult period by hypnotherapy.

Six years on and Tracey Barraclough from Calverley near Leeds has herself trained as a hypnotherapist so that she can now offer similar help and comfort.

She explained: “Hypnotherapy helped me through; helped me to see things clearly. It also helped me deal with my anxiety and fear. She trained at Leeds General Infirmary with the Northern College of Therapeutic Hypnosis, developing techniques which can assist patients confronting their own traumatic experiences. "I'd really like to help other people going through the same thing,” says Tracey.

"I would never advise hypnotherapy instead of conventional medicine, but it can work hand-in-hand."