A STUDENT has achieved a succession of top awards after overcoming a horrendous ordeal and gruelling medical treatment.

Ryan Kimber, 20, of Newport, was suddenly taken ill in January 2016 and flown by air ambulance to Southampton General in the middle of the night.

He was diagnosed with brain and spinal cancer, and underwent a long and exhausting recovery process.

Although his radiotherapy has left him with some long-term difficulties, Ryan has been determined to get well, and get back to college.

He resumed his engineering studies at CECAMM, the Isle of Wight College’s Centre of Excellence for Composites, Advanced Manufacturing and Marine, in September 2017 and achieved his extended diploma in Engineering Level 3 BTEC.

He won Pearson’s BTEC Engineering Student of the Year in July and received an award from the Isle of Wight High Sheriff in March, for achievement in adversity.

On Tuesday (November 19) he was named champion at the Association of Colleges (AoC) annual Student of the Year Awards held in Birmingham.

He said: "To have won AoC Adult Student of the Year is an immense honour and I am extremely grateful for all the help and support I have received to get me this far."

Debbie Lavin, principal of the Isle of Wight College, said: “I am absolutely delighted Ryan has won this national award, he is an exceptional young man.

"He is an inspiration to other students and I am very proud of what he has achieved. He is truly deserving of this recognition."

Keri Hughes, curriculum lead for engineering at CECAMM, says: “Ryan is a model student. He has an immense passion for life and a keen interest in engineering, which he passes on to others around him. I wish him every success in his future engineering career."

Ryan's ambition is to work for Jaguar Land Rover, designing and testing new off road vehicles, all around the world.

He is now at Harper Adams University in Shropshire.

In his free time Ryan volunteers for CLIC Sargent, which enables him to give something back to the charity which provided enormous support to him and his family throughout his treatment.

Ryan's dad Mike said: "To go through what he has, and still achieve what he has, is incredible.

"He is so humble, all this embarrasses him, but the whole family adores him and we are really proud.

"He is never down about what has happened — he just keeps so positive."

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