Manchester University student graduates despite being told she had only a year to live

A student from the University of Manchester has graduated after being given only a year left to live by doctors.

Laura Nuttall was told she had eight fatal brain tumours by doctors in 2018. She was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, an aggressive brain cancer.

Consequently, she quit her university course at Kings College London in order to focus on her bucket list.

However, Laura’s family found a new innovative treatment in Germany. With donations from friends family and help from comedian Peter Kay, Laura was able to fly to Germany and have hypnotherapy treatment every six weeks.

Kay staged a fundraiser at Manchester’s O2 Apollo in 2021, raising £5,000 from t-shirt sales alone.

This week Laura celebrated graduating with a 2:1 in politics, philosophy and economics from Manchester University.

Credit via University of Manchester

Laura said: “In my first year, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make it to graduation, never mind get a 2:1.”

She celebrated her graduation this year with her family. Her mum Nicola, said “she couldn’t be more proud of her” and she knows Laura “had to work hard to achieve her degree alongside her chemotherapy, surgery and treatment”.

Laura, now an ambassador for The Brain Tumour Charity and a board member of Our Brain Bank, plans on continuing to raise awareness of brain conditions and raise money for brain charities.

Additionally Laura and her mum want to bring awareness to work being done at the university.

Last year, Manchester University opened the Geoffery Jefferson Brain Researach Centre. The centre will conduct research on neurological diseases and develop new treatments.

Featured Image Credit: University of Manchester