Dungiven’s Colin overcomes illness to graduate
Colin Quigg from Dungiven overcame a number of mini-strokes to graduate with a BSc Finance degree at Queens University today.
A Dungiven student celebrated at Queen’s University yesterday after overcoming a number of mini-strokes to graduate with a BSc Finance degree.
Colin Quigg suffered a number of mini-strokes during the second year of his BSc Finance course, which left him in hospital for three weeks. Having made a spectacular recovery, he is now graduating with a 2:1 from Queen’s University Management School and is looking forward to starting a new job with a local web services company.
“My health problems began in December 2009 when my optician discovered damage to my peripheral vision during a routine eye test. I was too unwell to complete my exams in January 2010. While I managed to catch up on my exams, I had fallen too far behind on my studies and my results were poor. I had suffered damage to my eyesight, and my concentration levels had been affected. All in all, I wasn’t very hopeful for my future,” he said.
“But I was determined not to let my circumstances beat me, and decided to persevere with my studies and career aspirations. It was a requirement of my BSc Finance course to complete a work placement and, twelve months after falling ill, I started my one-year placement in the finance department of Net-finity.
“The placement couldn’t have come at a better time. I thrived in the working environment, received top marks for my placement project, and the company have now offered me a full-time job, which I am looking forward to starting in August.”
Remarkable, during that year Colin also completed the Dublin marathon in 3 hours and 56 minutes, raising £500 for the Cedar Foundation, a charity who supported him when he was ill.
Colin added: “The past couple of years have been a rollercoaster for me. There have been plenty of ups and downs, but I am delighted to be celebrating my graduation today, knowing that my health and my career are firmly back on track.”
Colin celebrated his graduation alongside his parents.
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Weather for Derry
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
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