TODAY Nicola Burt-Skinner is the picture of health, but it has not always been that way.

She may not look like a person battling illness, but since childhood, the 30-year-old founder of business support service NBS Admin Assist has been in and out of hospital, having her first operation aged four, to remove a kidney.

Until the age of 12, she was in and out of hospital, and endured at least one surgical procedure every year.

Despite that, she has gone on to be a strong and healthy adult who speaks five languages and runs her own firm, all while looking after her daughter.

She said: “There are not many memories of my childhood that do not revolve around being in hospital.

“But what I do remember is my mam being there for me.”

She believes that it was that unrelenting support which put her on the path of entrepreneurship.

She said: “Having my mam there with me through all my hospital stays and visits made me realise how important it is to have a support network.

“On a personal level, I knew I wanted to be there for my daughter as much as my mam was for me.

“Workwise, I get a great sense of satisfaction knowing that information or practical support I have given to other business owners and professionals has been beneficial.”

NBS Admin Assist was founded in 2010 after she left an insurance company after she endured difficulties from what she refers to as “unsavoury office politics” because of her marriage to the office manager.

She said: “I don’t like to think about it too much as mudslinging and grudgebearing doesn’t help anyone.

“I have moved on and selfemployment suits me much better.

“I was very good at and enjoyed my job.

“I was sad to leave, and even the prospect of spending more time with my daughter was not as appealing once she went to school and I was left at home alone each day.

“So, I investigated workfrom- home opportunities and soon discovered that my skills were highly sought-after by numerous freelancers, sole traders and entrepreneurs who did not have the time or skills to do things themselves.

“Using the skills and experience I gained during employment, NBS Admin Assist is well-placed to offer admin support and motor insurance claims management to those that are in need of it.”

NBS Admin Assist raises funds for a different charity each year. Last year, it sponsored a charity calendar raising funds for Help for Heroes and PC David Rathband’s Blue Lamp Foundation. This year, money will be going to Macmillan Cancer Support’s Darlington fundraising group.

Ms Burt-Skinner said: “I have had my fair share of help from the NHS and other health professionals, and while my health problems were not cancer-related, a lot of people are affected by this disease in one way or another, so to be able to help out a charity supporting those affected is great.”

Volunteering at the Macmillan Toddle at South Park, in Darlington, was another part of her fundraising efforts. She said: “Again, just being able to help is fantastic.

It’s my way of giving back.”

She hopes to open a conference and business centre in the North-East in the near future, and said: “There is a lot of demand out there for exhibition and conference spaces as well as meeting rooms and hot-desking for freelancers in the area.

“That is what I aim to provide – going that little bit farther to help my clients and theirs.

“After all, I just love to help.”