A judging panel selected Donovan, deciding that she embodied World Netball's courage values of "bravery, decisiveness and perseverance".

Born in the United Kingdom, Donovan was a keen player from a young age and qualified to teach PE in 2000 before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 2009 to help boost women's sport in the country.

There, Donovan introduced netball in the city Al Ain and coached a women's team in her spare time.

In 2015, Donovan moved to Dubai and became the chair of the Dubai Netball League, helping to increase membership to almost 300 women, and set up the Netball Sevens tournament at the Dubai Rugby Sevens event.

Days before the third Netball Sevens competition in 2017 and shortly after being selected for the first-ever UAE netball team, Donovan was diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer.

Donovan underwent chemotherapy and played for the nation in the Netball Europe Open Championship in Gibraltar six months after her diagnosis.

Donovan was the starting shooter in the Netball Europe competition in 2018, and her team scored nearly 200 goals in four games to win bronze at the tournament.

In total, Donovan has had 16 chemotherapy sessions, a double mastectomy, 25 sessions of radiotherapy and reconstructive surgery - all while continuing to play and teach netball.

"It is a huge honour to have been selected as World Netball's courage ambassador," said Donovan.

"I have my close friends and netball family to thank for my nomination and feel so grateful so have an amazing network of women that have supported and continue to support me.

"Although I would never think of myself or my actions as courageous, I am delighted to step up as courage ambassador. 

"Netball is a sport that offers so much to so many, but has given me so much more than I can put into words during some challenging times."

Drawing on personal experience, Donovan also raises awareness of breast cancer and funding for related charities.