MOST people enjoy good health and, apart from nasty bugs and viruses, few experience serious illness or injury.

But anyone who is unfortunate enough to have been taken seriously ill ­— and even on the brink of death ­— appreciates life to the full when they recover.

As as 19 year old, Lauren Davies was enjoying life and a carefree holiday in Mexico when she was struck down by a virus that almost killed her.

Both of her kidneys failed and doctors warned her family that she only had a 50 per cent chance of survival.

A last-minute combination of drugs brought her back from the brink and two years later, she has opened her own business, saying the experience has changed her.

It put everything in her life into perspective, especially after doctors told her she was only half an hour away from being put on emergency life support.

This is the sort of inspiring story that can give anyone the determination to make changes in their lives or to succeed at something they had only dreamed of.

Miss Davies and her friends and colleagues are now holding a fundraising festive party to raise money for Bolton Hospice.

She has undoubtedly been lucky not only to survive, but to go on to make a full recovery. Now it has driven her to live life to the full and enjoy each day.

Thankfully few people will go through what she has, but she can be a role model to us all.