Nicola Howorth success despite family trauma

Nicola Howorth and her mum Karen celebrate her GCSE success

GCSE student Nicola Howorth from Whitworth Community High School has spent the last nine months travelling to hospital to visit her seriously ill father and even revised on the ward.

Her father Graham is in a coma at North Manchester General Hospital, Crumpsall, and nurses on his ward helped Nicola with her revision.

All that hard work paid off when she got her results at Whitworth Community High School.

Nicola, 16, achieved an A* in Performing Arts, three As in English Language, English Literature and Religious Studies and four Bs.

Last November her father went in for what should have been a minor operation but there were complications and he ended up in the intensive care unit.

Nicola, of Daneswood Avenue, said: “He went in for a minor operation and has been there ever since.

“I have been visiting him in hospital with my mum Karen nearly every day and at times we have been told that he would not make it.

“In February he was diagnosed with epilepsy and because of the infections he has had to have lots of skin grafts.

“He was getting better towards the end of May but three days before my exams were due to start my dad had a heart attack and went into a coma and he has not come out of it since. We have been told he has serious brain damage.

“The night before one of my GCSEs my mum and I were told by the hospital that my dad might not make it. I was crying in school before I sat the exam, and thought I had failed it.

“I talk to him every time I go and visit him. I am going to tell him about my results and I just hope he can understand what I say.

“My dad was always an active person, always busy and at home now it is lonely without him there.”

Graham is a self-employed joiner working in his own business K and H.

“When I got my GCSE results I was over the moon,” said Nicola. “School has been amazing, especially my pastoral mentor and everyone has been really supportive towards me through everything.”

Headteacher Gill Middlemas said: “We are just incredibly proud of Nicola. She is such a delightful student who has shown immense resilience throughout what has been a very tough year.

“Her cheerfulness, her determination and her work ethic have been an inspiration, and I know how she has valued and benefited from the ongoing support of friends and staff in school.”

Nicola is going on to study Health and Social Care at college and hopes to go into nursing.