When severe health problems left Jade, 34, unable to physically attend university, she lost all hope of achieving her dream degree, fearing the opportunity had passed her by.<\/p>\n
Now a proud Psychology with Counselling<\/a> graduate, Jade shares how discovering The Open University (OU) gave her the flexibility to juggle motherhood, work and study, with the unpredictability of living with long-term health issues.<\/p>\n At the age of 18, Jade was at the start of a new adventure, looking forward to the university experience she\u2019d planned for, until she was thrown a huge curveball that would change the course of her future.<\/p>\n \u201cI needed to undergo surgery, which led to serious complications, including cardiac arrest,\u201d Jade explains. \u201cAs a result of ongoing health problems, it just wasn\u2019t possible for me to carry on attending university.\u201d<\/p>\n By the time Jade\u2019s health was in a manageable place, she\u2019d put the idea of studying behind her, choosing to find a job instead.<\/p>\n \u201cI started working within a mental health and wellbeing service, which I loved,\u201d says Jade. \u201cAfter a while, I realised that I wanted to understand the theory behind what I was seeing at work.\u201d<\/p>\n Although Jade was yearning to learn, her preconceptions of being a student were in danger of holding her back.<\/p>\n \u201cI kept thinking I was too old because I was comparing myself to the stereotypical student who enters higher education straight from school,\u201d Jade remembers.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I reframed my outlook and realised that we age every day – you may as well be achieving something as you get older – so I decided to go after my degree and study a subject I feel passionate about.\u201d<\/p>\n With lots on her plate, the freedom to study at her own pace was a must for Jade.<\/p>\n \u201cDiscovering the OU gave me the flexibility to work, manage my health conditions and study \u2013 it\u2019s incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n In the early stages of her degree, Jade found out she was going to be a mum. After a high-risk pregnancy, Jade\u2019s son was born with serious health issues to deal with.<\/p>\n \u201cI call Quillan my little miracle! He had respiratory failure and sepsis at birth, – it was a lot to deal with,\u201c Jade remembers.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite everything I was going through I enjoyed my learning so much, OU study became something that got me through difficult times in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n Expecting to struggle with the scientific aspect of psychology, Jade was surprised to excel in an area where she\u2019d always lacked confidence.<\/p>\n \u201cI grew up thinking I was terrible at maths, but I wasn\u2019t, I\u2019d just never the quality of teaching I had at the OU.\u201d<\/p>\n Jade adds, \u201cI had phenomenal feedback from my psychology tutors, which really helped me to improve.\u201d<\/p>\n Determined to smash through every obstacle in her way, Jade even managed to complete her final assignment from a hospital bed – with incredible results.<\/p>\n \u201cAchieving a first-class honours degree is beyond my wildest expectations, the sense of achievement is indescribable,\u201d Jade says. \u201cI find it difficult to ask for help, but when I did, the OU was always there for me. And I couldn\u2019t have done it without the support of my family.\u201d<\/p>\n Keen to build upon what she learned in her degree; Jade has jumped straight into a Master in Research (MRes) at Queen Margaret\u2019s University in Edinburgh.<\/p>\n \u201cI was feeling a little lost after completing my degree and not yet being well enough to return to work, so I reached out to the OU\u2019s Careers and Employability Service<\/a>,\u201d Jade says.<\/p>\n \u201cThe adviser I spoke to was so empathetic, he spoke to me about the bits of my course I enjoyed and what I wanted from my career. That conversation made me realise that I want to use my lived experience to help implement change.\u201d<\/p>\n Now investigating psychological recovery post sepsis, Jade hopes that sharing her story will inspire others living with serious health conditions.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can be demoralising and difficult when life sends challenges, but it is possible to find a way to balance your ambitions with the issues you\u2019re facing.\u201d<\/p>\n For those who might be considering following a similar path, Jade has this advice:<\/p>\n \u201cTry to get started early and get ahead<\/strong> \u2013 that really helped me when something unexpected was thrown in the mix.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFind other students to connect with<\/strong> \u2013 it helped me feel like I wasn\u2019t alone, and the accountability helped me push through.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThink of a time when things felt impossible and you found the strength to keep going<\/strong> \u2013 I visualised myself in that cap and gown to keep motivated and it worked!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Find out everything you need to know about OU study by registering for a virtual open day.<\/a><\/p>\nFinding a new path<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Overcoming challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Planning for the future<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Inspired by Jade’s story?<\/h2>\n