Who's going to do this operation then?' asked the quite fierce little girl from Liverpool.Fearing her response might be adverse, I rather diffidently replied, 'well I am.''That's good, ' she said, 'cos I don't want any of them man doctors to see me with me nicks off do I?'Averil Mansfield established herself as a pioneer in every sense of the word when she qualified as a surgeon in the early 1970s. At the time just 2% of her colleagues were female, and she was often met with surprise, bordering on disbelief, and amusement when telling people what she did. But time and again, Averil proved herself more than capable of the role which had been her greatest dream since the age of eight. After a formidable operating career in Liverpool and London, during which she made many enduring friendships, she went on to became the UK's first ever female professor of surgery.Life in Her Hands is the remarkable life story of a truly trailblazing woman. Averil's account shines light on a medical and societal world that has changed beyond measure, but which - as she shows through her experiences - still has a long way to go for the women finding their place within it.