A 38-year-old mum to 11 who had half her stomach removed three weeks before sitting her GCSEs is set for her dream career in child care after acing the exams.
Amy Male was diagnosed with stomach cancer in December and told she would only have five years to live if she didn’t go through with the operation.
A few months earlier she’d been worried taking on a one year Access to Health Professions course plus GCSE Maths and English would be too much alongside looking after her six children and five step-children.
She hadn’t reckoned on the several operations from January to May that did not go to plan, nor the removal of half the stomach and 14 lymph nodes weeks before her final exams.
But she took them anyway, got a seven grade in English, the equivalent to an A, and the highest grade five she could have got in maths.
She’s also now cancer free and looking forward to enrolling at Anglia Ruskin University in Peterborough.
“I’m struggling to take everything that’s happened to me all in,” she says after getting her results from Boston College where she travelled for lessons from the Long Sutton family home she shares with partner
Karl Besley and the 11 kids aged from seven to 18. “I think I’ve proved it doesn’t matter what age you are, you can do things you want to.
“Nothing should stand in your way if you want it enough.”
Amy has looked after her kids after leaving the Gleed School in Spalding with “Ds and Es” (grades two and three).
But she’s always wanted to work in child care so took on the one-year Boston College courses last September.
After a few months of getting her teeth into them though, came the bombshell cancer diagnosis.
She had five operations between January and May including one just days before the English ‘Aural’ exam where you have to give a presentation on a topic. Amy spoke about her cancer.
None of the operations made the situation better, necessitating the gastrectomy.
“It seemed for months it was just bad news and after every operation things got worse,” Amy continued.
“Then it all came very quick and in May I was told I had 11 days before I’d have an operation to save my life.
“It’s changed my whole life now. Where as previously I was someone who’d eat three course meals, now I can only eat a quarter of a serving.”
Amy can’t thank the tutors at Boston College enough and her friends including her coursemates Sara Warr and Vicky Atton, who she credits with helping get her through some of the tougher periods in the past few months.
She’s also thankful for the support of her whole family who encouraged her to follow her ‘career dream’ including the children, three of whom have also passed their GCSEs and her mum Lesley Cumper who works at the college.
Now it’s on to university and a full time BSC (HONS) Child Nursing course having been inspired to take on the extra learning by a previous ‘fast track’ summer course.
Amy says her illness has only spurred her on more to get what she wants out of life.
“I’m so excited. I’ve brought so many things I really probably don’t need like a lot of stationary, a name badge, and mum’s brought me fob watches.”
