University of Bristol: A Bristol consultant who completed her PhD while receiving chemotherapy for cancer said the illness was her ‘tool’
Dr Amber Young, 53, was just two weeks into her Fellowship, when she was given the devastating diagnosis that she had secondary cancer in her liver and bones. Amber was told that without immediate treatment she would die and was quickly prescribed a grueling course of chemotherapy and radiography. But despite receiving the life-altering news, Amber, who works at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children’s burns unit, had made PhD plans and she was sticking to them.
“If anything, it made me more determined than ever to get my PhD done,” she said. “The PhD gave me motivation to leave a legacy.
“Being a physician and looking after children with burns is the best thing in the world. I wanted to contribute to the improved care of these patients through research to improve evidence available for clinicians.”
Amber’s PhD, which involved undertaking an international survey with 126 patients and 700 clinicians from 77 countries around the world, agreed seven ‘core’ outcomes which should be reported in all burn trials, to enhance treatment and recovery for burns victims.
Amber said: “It definitely helped keep my mind off my treatment. It gave me focus.
“I’d even take my laptop into hospital with me and work on my PhD while receiving chemotherapy. The nurses thought I was mad.”
Amber, who had been treated successfully for breast cancer in 2007, had to navigate the pressures of further education with outpatient clinics, scans, and the ‘terror’ of awaiting results.
“I couldn’t have done it without the support of the university and my mentors who backed me all the way from the very beginning,” she added. “And I’m so glad I did it because it’s the best academic achievement I have undertaken.”
Other pillars of strength have been her husband Norman Heckington, 58, and her ‘amazing’ oncologist Jeremy Braybrook. She said: “My wonderful husband left his job in finance to become my carer and continues to be a source of great help to me through this.”
Next on the cards for Amber is more study, having being offered the chance to undertake an NIHR Advanced Fellowship, which was awarded this year.
“There’s certainly pressure on my oncologist to keep me alive! There’s still so much left to achieve.
“The University of Bristol’s motto is ‘vim promovet insitam’ which translates as ‘learning promotes one’s innate power’.
“My illness isn’t a barrier but a tool that has helped me zone in on what’s important, and in turn learning has helped me manage my illness. I was given two years to live at the beginning of my PhD and it’s been almost five years and counting.”