A WHITEFIELD businesswoman's successful battle against breast cancer has inspired her to spearhead a new concept to help stressed-out executives recover from crisis.

Melinda Beckett-Hughes has harnessed her expertise in the field of counselling to launch her own Lifeturnaround company from an apartment in the Church Lane area.

For the past 20 years, she has been an executive coach and qualified counsellor.

Melinda said: "The idea for this project came from successfully battling with breast cancer last year while running a successful change and coaching consultancy from a large home office in Whitefield and coping with two pre-school children.

"I needed somewhere not too far from home to recuperate and could only find two alternatives, either a health farm or a retreat centre.

"What I wanted was something truly 'holistic' which would allow me to work on mind, body and spirit in a relaxed location."

Melinda (46) added: "One positive outcome of the cancer was the triggering of a critical illness payment which I used to buy a three-bedroom apartment in Whitefield which I furnished to a very high standard to provide the location for the project.

"This seemed both a good financial investment as well as providing the opportunity of helping individuals in critical life situations. So, the Lifeturnaround project was born."

Clients will be resident for between ten days to two weeks and all the therapists will meet with them at the apartment. Treatments will range from "all talking" therapies, under Melinda's guidance, to a fitness coach, working within the Total Fitness Centre in Whitefield. Spiritual direction and guided meditation can also be offered for those wishing to take this route to health and healing.

Melinda explained: "Stress-related sickness absence has reached almost epidemic proportions in the UK, with increasingly onerous demands being placed upon employers to support individuals in such situations, while not placing undue pressure upon them to return.