An inspiring journey has taken a brave Thai student from fighting aggressive cancer to celebrating her graduation from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).
Kavisara Tiranasar from Bangkok, who is known by friends as Pin, never gave up her dream of studying DMU's Design Management and Entrepreneurship MA when she discovered she had taken ill in 2013, and now finally she is well and has the certificate in her hands.
Pin said: “It feels wonderful, it has been a very good day. I am so happy to be here. Two years ago I finished my undergraduate degree in my own country, but I was diagnosed with cancer one month before I was due to attend the ceremony so I couldn’t go.
“It is really nice to be able to attend the ceremony today. I have never had this feeling before.”
She continued: “I feel so amazing. I feel like that at the time when I had cancer I was asleep and now I am awake again. It was just like a bad dream.”
Pin was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma - a rare and fast growing type of lymphoma. To everyone’s surprise she responded quickly to intensive chemotherapy, battled through the overwhelming side effects and is now in remission.
She said: “People say studying in the UK will be the most wonderful time in your life. You can just focus on your study and not worry about anything else. They were right. Since I have been in Leicester, I have had the most wonderful time.
“I really recommend studying overseas, you can really learn to live independently. I feel I can now go anywhere else in the world.”
Full of the optimism of the day, Pin shared some thoughts for those thinking of coming to university: “I think you need to dream in life. Dream as high as you want, but be realistic and optimistic so you can achieve your dream.”
She added: “I don’t want to think about bad things in the future, I want to think about good things. That’s how I got through the cancer. I think our mental and physical health is really related.”
Celebrating her journey to get where she is today, she graduated along with other students from the Faculty of Art, Design and Humanities in The Venue@DMU, the first time the university’s newest building has been used for graduations.
Pin added: “The new location is so near to the university, and also isn’t too big. It is easy to meet people and your friends, a very warm and cosy place.”
Pin reflected on her great experience on her master’s: “I like the course I studied, all the subjects were very important to me. For example, I studied service design and looked at the design of Leicester Market to see how it could be improved, and learnt about business plans, so I could have my own business. It has all been very useful.”
She continued: “Every teacher is kind, teaches very well and is supportive. They inspire you and support your learning.”
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Posted on Wednesday 27 January 2016