A NEW mum's life was left hanging in the balance after she suffered sepsis five times after she gave birth. Now she has been awarded for giving back to those who saved her from death's door.

Holly Shafiq, 27, was diagnosed with meningitis after giving birth to her daughter and suffered five bouts of septicaemia, leaving her with post-traumatic stress disorder. In the three years since battling the illnesses, Mrs Shafiq used her business nous to give back to the medics who cured her.

She set up The Phlebotomy Centre, based in Butterfield Road in Over Hulton, providing an online community to practising and aspiring phlebotomists — practitioners who collect blood for testing.

Last month, Mrs Shafiq found out that she had won the young entrepreneur award at the Enterprise Vision Awards, a ceremony shining a light on women who own groundbreaking businesses in the region.

The Phlebotomy Centre wrote on Twitter: "What an unbelievable night, for the business, and for the industry, especially for the voices we’re yet to hear from in the phlebotomy community, thank you for this recognition."

Coral Horn, the founder of the awards, said: “The EVAs spread an inspirational message that women of all ages can be successful entrepreneurs."

The organisation, giving support to this branch of medicine, has received praise from other business leaders too. It caught the attention of former Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis, who voiced his praise for the business back in July.