A reception was held for a woman who is to receive an MBE in recognition of her charity efforts.

Lesley Turnbull attended the ceremony at Government House in Onchan along with family members and children who have been impacted by her charity - Wish Upon a Dream.

The charity was set up in 2007 following the tragic death of Lesley’s daughter and aims to grant the wishes of terminally or seriously ill children.

Lieutenant Governor Sir Richard Gozney and his wife Lady Gozney hosted the occasion on Thursday (October 11).

Mrs Turnbull said: ’It was lovely. I had 45 friends and family who attended, including the children and families of Wish Upon a Dream.

’We don’t just grant wishes and say "bye-bye". They tend to stay on because the wish families have a special bond and it was nice that they were there.’

Mrs Turnbull is due to receive her MBE at Buckingham Palace in the middle of November.

’I’m in total disbelief. I do what I do and love it and will do it till the day I die.

’I’m so proud because it’s such a true charity. We’re now in that position that if we get a handful of kids with wishes we can grant them and that’s the place I’ve always wanted to get to.’

She added: ’I don’t know who I will be receiving it from because they don’t tell you.’

Mrs Turnbull first found out about her MBE following a call from the Lieutenant Governor in June, who announced that she had made it on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

She said: ’It was very strange. I was going through my cancer treatment when he rang me and I wasn’t in the best frame of mind.

’He said "I just wanted to let you know and do you want to accept it? Many people have nominated you for it".

’I then said: "That would be really nice, but I don’t think this is a real phone call, I think it’s a hoax".’ She said she didn’t think it wise to bring the conversation back up at the reception hosted by the Lieutenant Governor.

’I was diagnosed just over a year ago and I’ve just finished my chemotherapy,’ she explained.

’To have gone though this awful cancer it’s made me think of the children as some of them are going through cancer. I don’t know how they’ve gone through that with so much strength.

’To have actually gone through it myself and seen how tough it is... I thought I knew what they had gone through and I really didn’t until I went through it myself.

’I will never, ever stop being in awe of these children.’

She explained that it was a ’huge pick me up’ to a celebrate the announcement with a ceremony just after she had finished her chemotherapy.

’It was like we’ve got to keep going and carry on with what we do,’ she said.

Mrs Turnbull has also set up a second charity called Remember Me, which grants wishes to seriously ill parents.