A MOTHER-of-one who battled cancer and raised £12,000 for charity has been honoured at a reception hosted by the Prime Minister.

Jan O'Brien, aged 38, from Horwich, attended the reception for community champions at 10 Downing Street last week.

She was nominated to attend the reception, along with community campaigner Barbara Constantine, from Atherton, by supporter Chris Green, prospective Conservative MP for Bolton West.

Mrs O'Brien said: "It was just fantastic, it really was.

"It was quite surreal really, just to be there.

"To go into such a place where all the greats have been — it was incredible.

"The people were so friendly, all the staff were really nice.

"Once we got through security, they looked after us really well.

"I saw all the photographs on the stairs of all the past Prime Ministers.

"I felt so humbled to be in such an amazing place.

"We had canapés and wine in the reception rooms upstairs.

"We got to have a look all around the reception rooms upstairs in number 10.

"You think it's small but it's like a warren. It's unbelievable, it's quite big and it goes a long way back.

"There are a lot more rooms than you imagine. It's beautiful inside.

"I got to meet lots of inspirational people who do work in their communities.

"It was awe-inspiring.

"The Prime Minister ended it with a quote from Gandhi which was quite apt and summed up the feeling in the room — 'The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others'."

In 2006, Mrs O'Brien was told she had osteosarcoma — a cancerous bone tumour — in her jaw, which was left damaged by the aggressive tumour.

She had a gruelling 14-hour operation to reconstruct it involving having a metal plate and pins inserted and bone from her leg grafted onto her jaw.

When she was told she was in remission, in 2008, Mrs O'Brien launched her campaign to support the charities which had helped her and has raised more than £12,000 for The Christie and The Willow Foundation.

Mrs O'Brien's number one supporter is her five-year-old son Daniel, who presented her with a special card when she returned home from London.

She said: "He made me a card when I came back saying well done mummy, with a star on the front of it.

"He was so thrilled."