Pharmacist’s story to encourage others

A graduate’s dream of being a pharmacist is now a reality after years of heartache and setbacks.

Taiyyibah Ifran started her pharmacy degree at the University of Sunderland in 2013 but did not graduate until seven years later as she coped with the death of her dad and cared for her mum.

As part of International Women’s Day she is hoping her story will inspire others.

Taiyyibah said: “I forged my career out of sheer determination.

“Thereweremountainsto climb and so many hurdles I hadtoovercometogetwhere I wanted to be.”

Taiyyibah, from Gateshead, became her mum’s carerattheageofsevenwhile her dad was in Pakiston.

After failing to get the grades she needed to study the Pharmacy degree she wanted,shelandedaplaceon the Biopharmaceutical SciencewithIntegratedFoundation Year at Sunderland.

But by second year, her mum’s health took a turn for the worst then her dad suffered a sudden heart attack inSeptember2016and,after his health deteriorated, died aged just 43-years-old.

Still mourning her dad, Taiyyibah failed her exams in her third year following a panic attack.

She said: “I just lost all motivation. I didn’t want to go back to university, I didn’t want to study.

“Iwasso,sosadthatittook me days to actually get back out of bed. After that, it took me ages to build myself back up. I decided to sit that exam again and I passed.”

Now the 28-year-old is a full-time pre-registration pharmacist, sitting her preregistration exam in June to becomeaqualifiedregistered pharmacist.