I am proud to continue to be an ambassador for Bourn Hall, a place very close to my heart. As well as being the world’s first IVF clinic it is also where my parents had further IVF after they had me, which resulted in the birth of my sister Natalie.

Soon after I was born some of the top scientists and doctors in the world gathered at Bourn Hall and it was from here that the pioneers passed on their expertise so that the whole world could benefit from their work in developing IVF.

The IVF pioneers behind my birth, Bob Edwards, Patrick Steptoe and Jean Purdy, who set up Bourn Hall, have all now sadly passed away but the work they started continues and it is always a privilege to meet the dedicated team at the clinic in Cambridge and others they run in the East of England.

Dr Thanos Papathanasiou, Medical Director and CEO of Bourn Hall is following in the footsteps of the pioneers by continuing to innovate.

The clinic provides a wide range of fertility services for NHS and self-funded patients, from investigating subfertility through to the planning and delivery of individualised fertility treatments.

My mum and dad, Lesley and John Brown, always spoke of the way that Patrick Steptoe and Bob Edwards always put patients first – Dr Papathanasiou follows that and is always looking to do more to support those on a fertility journey.

The clinic is currently working with the patient charity Fertility Network UK to support workplaces to adopt a Fertility Policy and to encourage clinics to sign up to the Clinic Pledge. These measures would improve the emotional wellbeing of employees by making it easier to balance work and treatment.

Dr Papathanasiou is also working closely with the NHS to introduce a more joined-up approach to fertility care that would provide earlier resolution with minimal intervention.

I have been visiting Bourn Hall ever since I can remember and it feels like home. I am delighted to be an ambassador for all the Bourn Hall clinics and keep alive the link with the pioneers of IVF and my parents, who were so grateful for the help and support they got from Bourn Hall.