From a lowly background that gives a unique perspective to what I do now in the scope of addressing health and social inequalities and helping to make them less of a negative impact by informing and empowering people to engage with their lives and surroundings to overcome difficulties and succeed.My Dad was a Scottish Coal Miner, who had to relocate to Yorkshire to keep a job, travelling 20 miles a day to then go a mile underground, I never saw it, and find it unimaginable, but from a nightmare perspective.I never felt deprivation due to the sacrifice of my parents and the benefit of fully funded university education for which I am hugely grateful. I do not think I would have done it in today's environment but societal views on achievement and debt have moved on so I may be wrong. My success has been a team effort, no part of which would have been possible without a secure foundation and safety-net from my Mum, Dad, brother and family. Younger observers of this may not appreciate my emotion about this.I have experienced some awful situations in the distant past but have remained focussed on the positive results that can emerge from them; with a long enough track record now to see that good outcomes prevail eventually, just takes some time.In my youth I was afforded opportunities through the selfless generosity of others who had no obligation to me, to gain access to healthcare experiences in building my application to university. This experience is more important for students of the future but with diminishing access, particularly for those without direct healthcare connections. I have a commitment to help such people and will continue to do so.