STRAIGHT AS FOR BRAIN TUMOUR TEEN
Edward excels in five Highers after cancer surgery
A Hamilton schoolboy gained five straight As in his exams this week after enduring lifesaving surgery to remove a brain tumour.
Edward Asken passed his Highers with flying colours just two years on from his cancer diagnosis.
Returning to Holy Cross High School last August, the 18-year-old was determined to sit all five highers during his sixth year.
A Hamilton schoolboy who underwent intense chemotherapy following a crippling brain tumour this week celebrated getting five straight As in his exams.
Holy Cross High School pupil Edward Asken gained A passes in Higher English, maths, chemistry, biology and history just a year after returning to school following 12 months out due to his cancer diagnosis.
Edward, of St John’s Boulevard in Uddingston, missed his entire fifth year at school, instead returning at the start of sixth year and working tirelessly to make up for lost time.
And on Tuesday this week, Edward was “over the moon” to receive his SQA exam results by text message.
His proud mum Madeleine told the Advertiser: “We could not be any prouder of Edward.
“To achieve five straight As after everything he has gone through is unbelievable and he is absolutely over the moon. Nothing has held him back.”
Edward was just 16 years old when he took unwell on a family holiday to Northumberland in the summer of 2017.
Within hours of being rushed to hospital in Newcastle the teenager and his parents Madeleine and Eddie, were told he had a tumour on his brain which needed to be removed immediately and he was rushed to theatre for emergency surgery.
Two weeks later, Edward was allowed home and his aftercare and treatment were transferred to both the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and Glasgow Children’s Hospital where he then underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy for a year.
Madeleine added: “Finally in August of last year Edward completed his treatment and was given the all clear, so to speak. However, he will be closely monitored every few months for the foreseeable future to make sure everything is as it should be and that the tumour hasn’t returned.
“But this certainly hasn’t stopped Edward chasing his dreams and we are delighted that he will now go on to study a pharmacy degree at the University of Strathclyde.
“He has always been interested in the sciences but with everything he has gone through, the amount of time spent in hospital and the medication he has had administered has just spurred him on even more to study pharmacy and follow his passion.”
Madeleine added that throughout his battle Edward had the full backing of his high school.
She said: “Holy Cross were fantastic during everything he was going through. The support the school offered was second to none and they were always pleased to have Edward back in the school for a wee visit whilst he underwent his treatment.
“When he decided to sit all five Highers upon his return in sixth year the staff and his friends were fully supportive and pulled out all the stops.
“It was really important to Edward to finish school with his friends and so it’s been great to see him do so.”