A north-east student battled through years of serious health problems and finally achieved her cherished goal of graduating from Robert Gordon University yesterday.
Kate Kenyon, 24, has suffered from chronic renal failure since the age of three and received a kidney transplant from her mother when she was only seven.
However, it failed 12 years later and she has subsequently undergone hemodialysis, while studying for a degree in communications with public relations from RGU’s Aberdeen Business School.
The Turriff student was understandably delighted when she finally picked up her degree at a special graduation ceremony at Aberdeen’s Beach Ballroom.
Ms Kenyon said: “It has been a very long time coming, and it has not really started to sink in yet, but it feels amazing to be graduating.
“I was meant to finish two years ago, but I was forced to re-sit second year three times because of my health problems.
“The first year after my kidney failed was really tough. When you’re at university, you want to make lots of friends and do everything that a student does, but it was very hard to balance that with my health problems.”
However, in January this year, Ms Kenyon received the news that she had been waiting for – a suitable kidney had been found for her.
And with her new kidney and RGU degree, she is feeling optimistic about the future.
Miss Kenyon continued: “It’s hopefully a long-term fix, because I met another person who has had a transplant for 22 years, so fingers crossed mine will last a very long time.
“I have a few ideas for the future. I’ve been accepted for a masters, which was supposed to start in December, but I think I’ve been studying a lot and I’m in need of a bit of a break – especially after the transplant.
“So I’d like to do it eventually, but right now I’m thinking of moving to Edinburgh, or eventually London. I’ve got no definite plan – I’m just going to go where the wind takes me.”
