I won't let cancer spoil my chances of dream job

Published on Saturday 3 January 2009 10:07

WITH three children to look after and a house to run, Gill Roberts knew that going back to college as an adult learner was never going to be easy.

But the 36-year-old had no idea just how difficult her year-long childcare course would turn out to be as she was diagnosed with breast cancer halfway through.

Despite undergoing a double mastectomy, 24 weeks of chemotherapy treatment and a four-week course of radiotherapy, she was determined not to quit college as she was finally pursuing the career she had dreamed about for years.

In fact, Mrs Roberts, from Mid Calder in West Lothian, was so determined to succeed that she only missed two weeks of college, even with the operations and treatments she had to undergo.

And after graduating from West Lothian College with her Higher National Certificate in Early Education and Childcare, she has now embarked on a night course to boost her qualification while she recovers from her illness.

Mrs Roberts started college in August 2007 having dreamed of a career in childcare since her eldest children Calum, now ten, and Duncan, eight, were in nursery.

Although she had considered a career in primary teaching while she was still at school, it wasn't until she started helping out in their classes that she decided what she wanted to do.

However, just a few months after she enrolled at college, she was diagnosed with breast cancer – an illness which her mother, aunt and cousin had all suffered from.

Mrs Roberts, who also has a two-year-old son called Euan, said: "Everything was great. I loved the course and was having a great time but then I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"But I thought, 'I'm not going to let the cancer stop me doing this because I've waited a long time for it'. 2008 was a bit of a write-off and I wasn't going to let it spoil everything.

"People said I should go back to college the following year but I didn't want it to let it stop me because going back next year is often easier said than done."

After having her mastectomy operation, Mrs Roberts was able to return to college after missing just two weeks of term time.

She said: "My classmates and tutors were fantastic.

"The tutors were flexible about me handing things in and my classmates would take notes for me while I wasn't there. It was a real team effort."

Mrs Roberts is now awaiting reconstructive surgery and plans to get a job when she is fully recovered.

She added: "They got all the cancer out in the operation and the treatment was more preventative to make sure it won't come back and as far as I'm concerned I'm healthy. I'm still quite weak and my energy levels are low, but after my plastic surgery I want to start looking for a job.

"I'm doing early education and childcare at the next level up now two nights a week so that when I do get a job, I can go for a senior post."

A spokeswoman for West Lothian College said: "An extremely determined woman, Gillian decided that her illness would not affect her studies and that she had waited long enough to get back into education.

"Gill is very proud of her achievements, as are her peers and the staff in the childcare team at West Lothian College."