SARAH Crane is chief executive of the Pelican Cancer Foundation. This Basingstoke charity is dedicated to curing cancer, and improving the quality of life for patients with pelvic area cancers and secondary liver cancer, by supporting clinical research and advancing precision surgery and treatment.

The charity, which Sarah has been at the helm of since 2008, delivers courses and workshops for cancer specialists – surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, oncologists and nurses – from across the world, and enables the sharing of life-saving and life-enhancing knowledge and skills with cancer teams internationally.

1. Who was your childhood hero and why? My brother, seven years older than me – he led me into many scrapes and adventures.

2. What is your most precious possession, and why is it important to you? My mother left me a little netsuke – a Japanese belt ornament that had been her grandmother’s. It’s not very valuable but it reminds me of her and the exceptional women in my family.

3. What was the first record/CD you bought? T Rex – to be honest I can’t remember which song, but I thought Marc Bolan was very cool.

4. What is the radio/television show you hate to miss? Sadly, it’s The Today Programme on Radio 4 every morning.

5. What is your favourite film? The Princess Bride – first seen on a very long coach ride and a family favourite ever since.

6. What is your pet hate? BT fault reporting – I live in a rural area and our telephone lines and broadband go down all the time.

7. What are you reading at the moment? I just finished C J Sansom’s Lamentation, brilliantly researched and a ripping yarn.

8. If you were choosing a last meal, what would it be? Roast lamb with spices shared with my family.

9. If you could meet anyone from history, who would it be? Edith Cavell – she was a nurse in the First World War who was immensely brave and helped both British and German soldiers.

10. If you had a time machine where would it take you? Hm – can I be a man? If so I would go to the early court of Henry VIII. As a woman, I don’t think I want to go back very far as our rights were so restricted.

11. If you were stranded on a desert island, what luxury would you choose to have with you? A comfortable pillow – I love that moment when your head sinks into a lovely pillow with fresh linen sheets.

12. What sports team do you support? I’m very excited as I’ve got tickets to the England v Australia Rugby World Cup match next year so it has to be the England rugby team.

13. What was your first job? My parents were farmers so my first jobs were around the farm, looking after livestock and driving large machines.

14. If you could take over someone’s job for the day, whose job would you choose? Richard Branson. His life looks such fun with all those adventures.

15. What worries you the most? At the moment, I’m worried about Ebola. Have you seen the pictures of Freetown? I’ve been there – it’s a lovely city with fantastic people and it breaks my heart to think what they are going through.

16. What is your proudest moment? Parenthood.

17. What would you like your epitaph to be? She made the most of life.

18. What’s your guilty pleasure? Oh no! I couldn’t possibly say – but it’s not chocolate.

19. What one thing could change society for the better? Talk to each other face-to-face more often.

20. What three words best describe you? Energetic, enthusiastic, optimistic.