She is, without a doubt, Maitland’s favourite daughter. A woman to whom all the cliches apply, yet none aptly fit.

Since losing her left leg in a London Underground train accident almost 15 years ago, Marny Cringle has navigated many soul-destroying roads.

But there’s one path that has eluded her. Until now.

In less than a week Ms Cringle, 41, will travel to the Macquarie University Hospital in Sydney to undergo the first of a multiple-stage process to help her walk again.

First she will have her stunted femur lengthened. Months later a macro-porous rod will be inserted and, finally, a German-made bionic leg will be attached.

And while the leg lengthening process has been performed before, Ms Cringle will be the first person in the world to undergo both this procedure and have a bionic leg attached.

“I’m still amazed about the whole thing and really have no idea what to expect,” she said.

“But the surgeons are really confident and so am I. I hope this works not only for me but for other people in the same situation as me.

“Maybe this opportunity is the reason this all happened to me.”

Read the full story on page 4 of the Mercury's weekend edition.