Veteran who took up modelling after being medically discharged is shortlisted for UK Top Influencer Awards

Caroline Lewis, from Cramlington, served for six and a half years in the Army and RAF before she was medically discharged.

This followed a diagnosis of spondylosis, when a vertebra in your spine slips forward, followed by a pulmonary embolism, when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in your lungs.

Since then, the 28-year-old has been competing as a swimsuit model and raising awareness of hidden disabilities and illnesses through her social media channels.

She has been nominated as Top Micro Influencer and Inspirational Influencer at this year’s UK Top Influencer Awards.

Caroline said: “I was really shocked to discover I had been shortlisted for the awards.

“I thought it was really nice to be acknowledged amongst the top inspirational influencers in particular, because I have been on quite a journey.”

She added: “I had to stop going to the gym and adapt to my new way of living with its limitations, and I found I had lost a lot of self confidence. Then I saw the competition Miss Swimsuit UK advertised.

“I thought ‘I have got to like myself if I am in a bikini on a runway’ so I decided to go for it even though I had no pageant or modelling experience.”

Caroline came third in her first competition and started to grow in confidence. She went on to compete at the Swimsuit USA world finals in Mexico.

She said: “I became part of this community of modelling and influencing and used that to start promoting my journey and promote body confidence with my health too.

“I now work full time at a charity helpline and also have a talent agency looking after me.

“I have recently been diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic disease. I use this to push me and encourage me to live my life to the full and help others.”

The event will be held in Newcastle on April 20 and will be hosted by TOWIE and Love Island star Georgia Harrison.

Caroline said: “We are in a day and age where people can use social media to create a false version of themselves but I want to try and keep being real on my social media and show that life is not always perfect and that is ok too.

“I think it is absolutely amazing to be recognising influencers who make a difference to people’s lives and it is fantastic that something like this is coming to the North East.

“It is also fantastic that it is bringing a community together to recognise a lot of inspirational people who are on social media and the positive image they are trying to get across.

“This shows there is so much more to social media than standing and taking a picture. Social media is an absolutely enormous part of our daily lives now and is used to promote a wide range of different industries, and can be a force for good.”