Graduation ceremony live streamed to hospital after student’s cancer diagnosis

A University of Hull student diagnosed with cancer weeks after completing her studies has received her degree in a special ceremony at Castle Hill Hospital.

Lilli Hales, 20, was looking forward to celebrating graduation with family, friends and fellow students this week after earning a 2:1 in Drama and Theatre Practice.

However, at the end of June she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a type of cancer which affects the blood, and was immediately admitted to Castle Hill Hospital to begin treatment.

Lilli said: “I’d been feeling unwell for quite a while, I was pale and I’d been having dizzy spells, so I went to my GP who arranged a blood test.

“I carried on organising things for university and working my part-time job at Starbucks, but when I was asked back to the GP surgery to receive my results, things started to move really quickly and I was admitted to the Teenage and Young Adult Unit at Castle Hill the same day.

“It all felt a bit surreal, like I was in a dream that I was going to wake up from and then find out it wasn’t real.”

The University was contacted by Charlene Kent, the youth support co-ordinator at the cancer unit, who worked with the University and Lilli’s parents, Tracy and David, to live stream her ceremony to the ward she was being treated on. When her name was called Lilli, wearing cap and gown sent by the University, was able to graduate with her class.

Professor Dave Petley, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Hull, said: “Congratulations to Lilli on receiving her degree. We are incredibly proud of her for all the hard work during her studies but, most importantly, for the bravery she has shown since receiving her diagnosis.

“We really hope Lilli enjoyed the wonderful ceremony the staff at Ward 33 arranged for her and that her day has felt as special as it rightly should. We send her all our very best wishes.”

Lilli said: “Missing my graduation ceremony wasn’t part of the plan. It was disappointing not to be there in person with my friends to celebrate. What Charlene, the hospital team and my family have done for me is nothing short of amazing. The decorations, the live stream, the cap and gown, it meant I didn’t miss out, and I still got to celebrate with my loved ones.”

Charlene said: “There are too many people to thank individually but the University of Hull has pulled out all the stops to ensure Lilli feels as much a part of the ceremony as every other person graduating on the day.

“It’s been such a special event to be a part of, but it’s nothing short of what this special young lady deserves.”