Clare Lewis-Jones, Chief Executive of Infertility Network UK (I N UK) and More to Life, the largest national charity providing help, support and information to those suffering the effects of infertility, has been awarded a MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to healthcare.

Clare (formerly Clare Brown), an infertility sufferer herself, has worked tirelessly for over 25 years to raise awareness of infertility and its impact on those who suffer from it and the fact that there is more understanding of the illness illustrates her success in doing so. Her commitment and dedication to all patients who suffer from infertility has played a major factor in the recognition which Infertility Network UK receives from the Department of Health and from health professional organisations.

Commenting on her award, Clare said: 'This award is a huge honour for me personally. However it is also an award which I feel indicates that infertility is something which is most definitely a healthcare issue and one which is deserving of NHS funding. It is also an award which I share with all my colleagues at Infertility Network UK. We literally struggle from one year to the next to survive. Infertility can happen to anyone but it is only when it happens to you that it becomes a real issue, a real illness.

Hopefully this award will make people sit up and think - infertility is a healthcare issue - it is something that can happen to me - and it is something deserving of understanding and treatment by the NHS'.

Clare has regularly written commentaries for BioNews and all the staff and trustees of Bionews and the Progress Educational Trust congratulate Clare on her much deserved award.