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 of chemotherapy treatment, Salman bravely returned to Smithills School to complete the final month of Year Nine  and begin his Year 10 studies.

(Image: Salman Farhat)

Salman said: “I was worried about returning to school because I thought my grades might go down, even when I returned to school, I was still in and out of hospital.

“Sometimes I’d have to go into hospital for days at a time and stay overnight”

He added: “We had to begin GCSE preparations in Year 10 and even take some GCSEs that year so I didn’t know how it would go.”

Despite missing school, Salman continued to achieve top grades in maths and science. He also achieved a grade 7 and 8  in two GCSE’s- despite not having had the chance to read the syllabus texts.

The 16-year-old  also won Smithills School's talent competition that year after performing a piano piece in front of his teachers and peers.

He said: “I remember coming back to school and achieving one of the highest grades in class for maths, I’d achieved fifty-two marks out of fifty-five despite having no base knowledge.

“It made me feel proud because I still had the ability to perform well and get good grades.

“I took my English literature and religious studies GCSE exams in Year 10 and was worried, especially for English literature as I’d not had the chance to read the texts at all.

“We did Macbeth and Blood Brothers. I’d watched summaries of the two of them and would re-read anything I didn’t understand but I never got the chance to read the entire books because I’d been in hospital.

“I was very happy to receive an eight for English literature, it was the grade I was most nervous about.

“In Year 11, there were times when I’d complete a GCSE exam and have chemo the next day, so it was very tiring. I was relieved when the exam season was over.

“The teachers were really supportive, if I wanted help, they were able to give me the support I needed."

Salman is continuing his studies at Runshaw College in Leyland doing A-levels in chemistry, biology and maths with the hopes of becoming a doctor.

The 16-year-old is set to finish chemotherapy treatment in November.

(Image: Salman Farhat)

He said: “I’m proud of how I’ve done, if I could go back and give myself advice it would be to not worry about school so much, as I had bigger things to worry about.

“I am looking forward to a fresh start at Runshaw and am most excited for the biology course as I’d like to become a doctor in haematology or oncology to help other people with leukaemia.”