Xu Xnrán (pen name Xinran) is a British-Chinese journalist and broadcaster, born in Beijing in 1958.

In the late 1980s, she began working for Chinese Radio and went on to become one of China's most successful journalists.

In 1997 she moved to London, where she initially worked as cleaner.

Stacey McInroe Conner didn’t like to be called amazing, but by all accounts she was an incredible young woman.

Despite the fact that she was born without arms, she lived a full, interesting and independent life, which included driving, horseback riding, and attending university. She was a self-less volunteer who was deeply committed to helping child amputees.

Stacey died as a result of an accident on May 24, 1990, shortly before her 23rd birthday.

Read more about her story as told in two tributes paid to her by her friends Bill and Joyce Baughn.

Edith Widder studies bioluminescence, the light chemically produced by many ocean organisms.

She’s helped to design groundbreaking cameras for viewing this glowing world — and uses the startling results to help raise awareness of our marine environment.

Dr. Edith (Edie) Widder decided she wanted to be a marine biologist when she was just 11 years old.

Susan notes: Maria Suarez spent 22 years in prison for hiding the table leg a neighbour used to kill the man who had sexually, physically and emotionally abused Suarez for five years after he hired her as a maid then kept her locked up in his home. She  is now an anti-trafficking spokeswoman.

Her story is shocking, hopeful and humbling. Read the details below the video.

Lornah Kiplagat’s running career was born out of necessity.

When the chore of milking her father’s cattle made her late, she ran the 14 miles to school to get there on time.

She has since gone on to become one of the world’s fastest women. Originally Kenyan, and now a Dutch citizen, she is an accomplished long-distance road, cross country and track and field runner.