‘When everything had gone dark, the OU lit up my life,’ says young mother of two

Posted on 14 October 2024 • Education, languages and health, Student stories

Katherine from Aberdeenshire left school at 17 after having her first child, but instead of giving up on her career dreams she has remained determined to make her family proud. As a single parent with no childcare support, The Open University (OU) has allowed Katherine to pursue her passion whilst caring for her children.

Now, with only two years left of her BA (Honours) Health and Social Care degree, Katherine shares how studying has become her ‘rock’ during hard times and given her hope for the future.

“I left school after falling pregnant at a young age. I didn’t want to give up on learning, but it was challenging without childcare support. I completed course after course at college because I could study from home, but I was ready for the next step,” explains Katherine.

“After the birth of my second daughter, I lost my mum to cancer. I became unwell with my mental health, and I remember saying to my psychiatric nurse that I wanted to try the OU. She said it would be too much, but I went ahead anyway. I found studying calmed me and helped me look forward.

“When everything had gone dark, the OU lit up my life. It rebuilt my confidence. The tutors made me feel relaxed and welcome. I’m really thankful for the support.”

Using her new skills

Alongside her studies, Katherine works at her local hospital, where she’s been able to apply the skills learnt from her degree.

“Combined with my college qualifications, I’ve been studying health and social care for ten years.

“I love learning about every aspect of human beings, from medical conditions to healthcare. It’s also been fascinating to learn more about society. It’s opened my eyes to the world that we live in.

“My role as a healthcare support worker at the mental health hospital in Aberdeen has allowed me to put this learning into practice. I work across the hospital in intensive psychiatric care, rehab, the eating disorder unit and with patients who have learning disabilities.

“Once I’ve finished my degree I’d like to go into public speaking or management. I’d also like to do more studying, maybe a Masters degree. I’m so excited to see what the future brings.”

Faced with the unimaginable

Katherine has carried on with her studies through her daughter’s ill health and her own ongoing struggle with endometriosis.

“The hospital kept sending my daughter home, even though she was repeatedly poorly. It wasn’t until she caught pneumonia that she was rushed by air ambulance to another hospital where they discovered an egg-sized tumour pressing on her windpipe.

“The tumour was so big that it was killing her. She was put on life support for 13 days and although she recovered, she now suffers from tracheobronchomalacia (TBM), which is where the walls of her trachea and bronchi are weak and collapse every time she takes a breath.

“She needs a lot of physiotherapy, which I administer as her full-time carer. On top of her breathing condition, she’s been diagnosed with ADHD.”

Doing it for her family

Studying has given Katherine the respite she needs, and when her workload and responsibilities have felt too much, she remembers the reason she started her degree.

“Juggling university with work, my two daughters and my endometriosis has been difficult at times, but having the option to pause my studies has really helped.

“I took a short break in 2020, but quickly missed my OU work. Studying has been my rock during the hard times. It’s given me something to focus on and has taken my mind away from the stress and worry.

“There have been times when I’ve felt like giving up, but I always remember my mum’s advice. When I kept failing my driving test, she would tell me to keep going and not give up. I hear her in my head telling me to carry on trying, just like she did. I want to make her proud and will go as far as I can, for her and my girls.”

Keep your goal in mind

Katherine has advice for other students who might be struggling with issues in their personal lives while managing their studies.

“Remember your goal and why you started in the first place. It can be tough when lots is going on in your life but try to not lose sight of what you’re working towards.

“I want to show my children that studying is important and that there’s always room to learn more. You can never stop learning.

“They’ve seen me studying for years now and I hope they’ll admire me and think if my mum can do it, I can do it too.”

You can also make your dreams a reality with the OU. Register before 9 January for courses starting in February.