From hospital bed to first-class degree: Keele student's remarkable graduation story

A Keele University student who thought her university dreams were over after being struck down with sepsis just weeks into her first term has graduated with first-class honours.

Aliya was in her first month at Keele when she became seriously ill and was admitted to hospital with sepsis, a serious reaction to an infection that can be life-threatening.

After spending a week in Royal Stoke University Hospital, she was transferred back home to Yorkshire to continue her recovery. At the time, she feared she might never return to university and that her degree ambitions had ended abruptly.

However, while recovering at home, Aliya received the results of her first university assignment. The positive feedback and strong mark gave her the confidence and motivation to continue with her studies despite the significant challenges she faced.

Determined not to give up, Aliya returned to Keele and successfully completed her degree, graduating this summer with first-class honours and receiving the Vice-Chancellor's Commendation Award for her achievements.

Aliya said: "When I became ill, I genuinely thought my university journey was over before it had really begun. Being diagnosed with sepsis and spending time in hospital was frightening, and when I was able to return home to recover, I wasn't sure if I'd ever make it back to Keele.

"Having only just moved away from home to start university, it was difficult watching everyone else settle into student life while I was recovering and worrying about how much I had missed. At that point, I felt as though I had failed and all my plans had been put on hold.

"Then I received the result from my first assignment. Seeing that I had done well gave me a huge boost and reminded me why I'd chosen to come to university in the first place. It gave me the confidence to believe that I could catch up and succeed, despite everything that had happened.

"There were challenges along the way, but whenever things felt difficult, I thought back to that moment. Looking back now, graduating with first-class honours feels incredibly special because of everything it took to get here."

During her time at Keele, Aliya combined her studies in Biochemistry and Neuroscience with an impressive range of extracurricular, research and volunteering activities.

Alongside her degree, she contributed to research examining health inequalities, including projects exploring neurodegenerative diseases in ethnic minority communities and initiatives aimed at tackling disparities in cervical screening uptake. Driven by a passion for improving access to healthcare, she even began learning Spanish to help her better engage with diverse patient populations in the future.

Aliya also completed a Business Transformation internship with the General Medical Council, where she contributed to a regulatory fairness review designed to reduce bias in decision-making and strengthen patient safety measures.

Away from her academic work, Aliya played an active role in supporting fellow students through positions including Student Ambassador, Students’ Union Hub Adviser, Resident Adviser and Students’ Union Commercial Host. In these roles, she carried out welfare checks, supported students experiencing difficulties, helped to build a sense of community within halls of residence and provided guidance to students navigating personal and academic challenges.

Reflecting on her time at Keele, the 22-year-old said: "When I returned to Keele after my illness, I realised how precious time is and that I wanted to make the most of every opportunity available to me.

"I've always been conscious that access to education is something many people around the world don't have, so being able to study at university is a privilege that I never wanted to take for granted.

"I fell in love with Keele from my very first week. The campus, the community and the support I received made it feel like home. After everything that happened, I wanted to throw myself into university life and make the most of every experience.

"Looking back now, I'm proud not only of my academic achievements, but also of the people I've met, the opportunities I've had and the ways I've been able to give back to the university community."

Following graduation, Aliya is preparing for her next challenge - taking part in the 2027 London Marathon to raise funds for Brain Research UK, supporting vital research into neurological conditions and helping to improve outcomes for those affected by brain disorders.