A teenager who couldn’t go into school for a year after discovering he had an inoperable brain tumour is “in complete shock” after passing all of the exams he sat. Noah Herniman, who sat the exams while having weekly intensive chemotherapy to ensure the tumour in his brain remained stable, got a C in double maths despite undergoing chemo the day before.
Noah’s mum Shelley said her son was shocked when he opened his envelope at Chepstow School on Thursday morning to realise that despite everything he’s been through he achieved a B in English language, a C in English literature, a C in history, and a C in both his maths exams. Due to the impact of his treatment for his illness Noah was unable to sit his other GCSE papers but the results he has achieved mean he is now able to attend Filton College and pursue his dream of becoming an actor.
Since being diagnosed with the tumour in the summer of 2021 Noah has often been fed via a drip and has been unable to attend school beyond two hours a day since November. Since January Noah has been home-schooled for English and maths, and he sat the exams at home in front of an invigilator.
READ MORE: Analysis from across Wales as pupils collect their grades
Common results of chemotherapy are extreme tiredness and brain fog, which Noah continues to struggle with, Shelley said. “He thought he might fail them – he’s been really anxious about it leading up to today,” Shelley said on Thursday.
“He was so anxious he was up at three in the morning on the phone to his mates about the results. He’s been immensely stressed over his double maths – that’s been the big hurdle.
“I’ve seen many of them getting A* and As in their exams today with results papers which look like War and Peace, and that is absolutely fantastic and I’m delighted for them, but for what Noah has been through and to come out of it having those passes – I’m so proud of him. Nobody can take those results away from him.
“He was withdrawn from his exams because the home-schooling service couldn’t provide provision for subjects other than his English and maths modules but we really wanted him to get his history. He was able to go back to school in May to catch up with history.”
In June and July Noah sat his papers at home in a room with an invigilator – the test papers arriving at the front door an hour before he sat them. “It was actually more stressful for him than sitting them in the conventional way I think,” Shelley continued. “To be in a room on your own being watched like that was hard. But as usual he’s just got on with it.
“He had chemo less than 24 hours before he sat his maths. Of course we’d have wanted him to have a better chance by sitting that another day but it’s set in stone.
“There are lots of children out there who are ill and may find themselves in a situation where they are experiencing brain fog and they don’t get a bye. There are teenagers who have had to sit their exams when feeling ill and they might not have been as lucky as Noah. I really feel for them.”
Not only has Noah passed his exams while having chemo and living with a tumour but he has also been balancing all of that while continuing his fundraising to help families like his. He is hoping to fund a retreat for young people undergoing chemotherapy or other intensive treatment to be able to go and take a break with their families. You can see his fundraiser here. Chepstow Racecourse is hosting a fun day on Bank Holiday Monday to raise money for Noah’s retreat.
Ahead of results day Noah posted on his Facebook page Noah's Journey, reminding followers: "A good luck to everyone picking up their GCSE results tomorrow. A grade doesn't define you – you can do whatever you want."
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