An inspirational teenager has his sights on a career in medicine after achieving top grades in his GCSEs - while battling leukaemia. Smithills School pupil Salman Farhat achieved a brilliant four grade 9s, three 8s and two grade 7s - an achievement made even more remarkable as he spend much of the school year in hospital being treated for the condition. His results placed him in the top four highest achieving young people at the school.
Salman was diagnosed with the disease in the summer of 2020 after experiencing pain in his legs while in Year Eight. He was transferred to Saint Mary’s Hospital in Manchester where he was diagnosed with leukaemia. Dad Nezar Farhat said: “Salman spent two months in hospital after he was diagnosed, me and his mother basically lived at the hospital’s accommodation and were there every day with him.
(Image: Salman Farhat) “He lost all of his hair and was constantly suffering allergic reactions due to his weakened immune system. He was really ill and could not leave the hospital for months.” Due to his illness, Salman could not attend school and missed most of Year Nine including vital GCSE preparations.
Nezar said: “He unfortunately missed the whole of Year Nine as he was having chemotherapy and was in and out of hospital. “It was a very difficult time and Salman struggled throughout. There were times when he couldn’t even open the curtains and look outside because of how low he felt.
” In July 2021, still going undergoing rounds .