‘Inspirational’ 41-year-old care leaver achieves dream of becoming doctor at Bristol uni

After withdrawing from school at just 15 years old, a care-leaver has officially graduated as a doctor from Bristol Uni.

Dr Becs Bradford left school with no qualifications, but never let this interfere with her dream to help other people. Now, aged 41, Becs has received her degree in medicine from the University of Bristol.

Becs’ path to medicine was not easy. At 12, her family had moved to England from France when her father tragically fell from a ladder and became impaled on a branch, leaving him paralysed from the neck down. Due to the accident, they lost their family home and Becs ended up in care.

For many, this could have brought educational aspirations to a halt, but Becs was determined as she worked as cabin crew, a personal trainer and in sales. Although she explored a number of passions, Becs always knew that there was a different purpose for her.

When she realised she wanted to be a doctor “everything just fell into place.”

Commenting on her journey, Becs said: “When I was young I was constantly told I would amount to nothing, that I was stupid. I got sick of people telling me I couldn’t do things because I was a care-leaver. I wanted to prove that people like me do deserve good things, that they can get jobs that are fulfilling and well paid.

“I don’t know if I’m just a little delusional but I really believe that if your heart is in it, you can 100 per cent do the crazy things you’ve always dreamed of.”

She finally received an offer from the University of Bristol. During her degree, Becs taught gym classes seven days a week and worked 12 hour assistant nursing shifts on the weekends, always driven by her desire to help people.

Rising above what people said to her about her background, Dr Bradford has utilised her life experiences to better understand patients, and mentors applicants from “non-traditional backgrounds like me” to get places at the University of Bristol.

Becs said: “It feels quite surreal to be graduating after all these years! It really does feel like a dream come true. I’m proud of myself for never giving up along the way and I hope my journey can inspire others to follow their hearts in the same way.”

Via SWNS