SO THIS is Christmas, and what have you done?’ So says John Lennon in what has become one of the most popular festive songs.

It’s a question that many of us will ask ourselves at this time of year as we reflect on the year that is nearly over.

One young lady who has certainly had a life-changing year is nurse Natalie Mounter.

It is now three months since Natalie left her job as an isolation ward nurse at Basingstoke hospital to become a volunteer with the medical team trying to help the victims of the deadly, and devastating, Ebola outbreak that has claimed thousands of lives in west Africa.

Christmas is a time of hope, and one thing that the world will be hoping is that the Ebola epidemic can soon be brought under control.

Many people have rallied round to support the global aid effort, but more clearly needs to be done to combat the spread of the virus and to help those people whose communities and nations have been ravaged by the disease.

The Gazette has put the spotlight on the work of Natalie and her colleagues since October, and their vital work will be continuing on Christmas Day as if it is any other day.

Natalie could have been at home on December 25, but she has chosen to return to Sierra Leone at Christmas, and she is determined to stay until the Ebola epidemic is brought under control.

I will certainly be thinking about Natalie on Christmas Day, and I am sure that many readers will too – and I know we will all be hoping her Christmas wish for an end to the Ebola epidemic comes true as soon as possible.