The two women help with fundraising for Ascot Relay For Life each year and were nominated by relay organiser Rose Dalton for their achievements.

Lynn Hurdwell, from Ascot, and Sallyann James, from Slough, have reinforced their fundraising efforts after both undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Each Relay For Life branch in the UK can nominate one committee member and one team member to earn the prestigious ‘global hero of hope’ title.

After Mrs Dalton nominated the pair, they were chosen as two of only three people in the country to be global representatives.

The duo will become worldwide voices for both Cancer Research UK and Relay For Life and could even travel to different countries to get the charity’s message across.

Mrs Hurdwell was diagnosed with breast cancer four days before the annual 24-hour relay race two years ago.

However, she carried on with the race and returned as part of the relay’s committee the following year, after successful chemotherapy. She was later given the all-clear.

She said: “I would like to thank Rose for her support and encouragement during my cancer journey and for believing in me. Thanks also to the relay committee for their support over the past six years.

“I want to thank them for their inspiration which has given me the courage to expand my horizons and do things which I would never have thought possible before getting involved with Ascot Relay For Life.” Mrs James will have been clear of cancer for three years next year and was commended by Mrs Dalton for promoting the relay.

She is a team captain at the relay, and by promoting its fundraising efforts she has encouraged three other teams to join.

She said: “Talking at supermarkets to other people or their families who have been diagnosed has made me feel proud that I can help them, even if only in a small way.

“Thank you to Rose for nominating me and believing in me.” Mrs Dalton said: “I am absolutely thrilled that they have been chosen to become global heroes. I am so delighted. They are two fabulous people and they inspire me so much.

“Hopefully it will inspire others and encourage them to get involved more and boost our fundraising targets.

“Last time we had a global hero nominated two years ago they went to New York to speak about potential cancer treatments, so who knows where they might go!”