Student Spotlight: Maddy Elleby
Student Spotlights pass the mic to our student doctors, to hear their take on their School experience and shine the light on a particular role, team or pathway through the School of Medicine.
Student Doctor Maddy Elleby has been awarded the Adult Student of the Year Award by the Association of Colleges – an award that recognises and celebrates outstanding student achievement.
The competition takes place between hundreds of colleges across England and Maddy was put forward to the judging panel by her college teachers for her resilience and determination throughout her studies whilst also dealing with a cancer diagnosis.
Maddy is certainly worthy of the award. In 2021, Maddy was diagnosed with stage 4b Hodgkin’s lymphoma aged 16. Despite facing a long health journey, she showed up with positivity and a fierce determination to help others who face the same challenges she did. Since then, she has been in remission for nearly two years, is enjoying her medical studies and has become an Ambassador for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Maddy chatted with us about her recent award, her health journey and her charity work.
Congratulations on your AoC Student of the Year Award! Can you tell us about the award?
“The AoC is the national voice for further education, sixth form, tertiary and specialist colleges in England. Once a year the organisation hosts awards to commend specific students for their achievements and I was lucky enough to be nominated by the teachers at my college. The process involved a written application to highlight my various obstacles throughout my time at college as well as the wider contributions I had made to my local community, including volunteering as a ward clerk at my local hospice, Phyllis Tuckwell, a residential home for those with disabilities, and being a representative for the Teenage Cancer Trust.”
How did you enjoy the award ceremony and what does the award mean to you?
“After meeting the other finalist for the award, I have to admit I was not very confident that I could possibly win but I was pleasantly surprised. It was incredible speaking to the candidates in other categories as everyone had such a diverse background and faced many different obstacles to be where they were. The whole thing feels surreal, and I don't think the bald, emaciated girl I was a year ago would quite believe that I would win an award which celebrated my journey to being a medical student in Liverpool.
"I hope that this can inspire other people undergoing difficult times and hardships in their life - to persist and remain determined to reach their goal. I also think it is a testament to the incredible medical professionals that helped me to get to where I am now.”
Can you tell us about your health journey and your treatment?
“About three months into my first year of college I started to become very unwell. What began with a slight flu became a thunderous cough, night sweats, pain in my sternum, lumps in my collarbone and so on. As most medical students do, I googled all my symptoms straight away. I realised that I matched with most of the symptoms for Hodgkin’s lymphoma and was utterly convinced I had it. Following a scan, I was given a two-week referral and instantly knew my suspicions were correct. I was diagnosed with stage 4b Hodgkin’s lymphoma on the 21st January 2021 age 16.
Following my diagnosis, I completed 6 months of high dose chemotherapy at the Royal Marsden under the care of my incredible consultant oncologist Elsje. I hold Elsje in such high regard as she truly listened to my opinion, included me in my care decisions and was direct about what to expect.
“Throughout my initial treatment I decided to hide my diagnosis from everyone, shaved off my hair and donated it to the little princess trust, and wore a wig to college pretending nothing had changed. I hid my PICC line under long sleeves and would schedule my chemotherapy appointments based on my free periods in college so no one would notice what was going on.”
I finished chemo before my 17th birthday and told everyone what had been going on at a huge surprise party. Unfortunately, a month after being put in remission I felt a lump in my collarbone and knew I had relapsed. At this stage they called it Primary Progressive Hodgkin’s lymphoma and we started undergoing treatment again.
“I once again must credit my consultant for being so proactive and up to date with recent developments and drug trials in her field.”
Thanks to her I was able to join an experimental trial using Pembrolizumab to try and combat my cancer. Sadly, that did not completely work and I underwent 6 months of immunotherapy followed by an autologous stem cell transplant in May 2022. I am now a year and a half in remission, aged 19."
How did you become a rep for the Teenage Cancer Trust and what have you got involved with?
"I was initially introduced to Teenage Cancer Trust through one of their representatives at the Royal Marsden while I was undergoing treatment. They helped me contact charities that contributed costs towards my wigs - something most people don’t know is that wigs cost upwards of £1000 each - as well as introduce me to other people in my position and organised activities as an inpatient.
"I was so grateful for the support of the Teenage Cancer Trust throughout the process as not many organisations exist for teenagers with cancer - most charities focus on younger children which often made me feel quite alienated."
I was lucky enough to win a special experience they organised which included going to the Royal Albert Hall to watch Kasabian, a backstage tour and meeting the band. Whilst there, they asked for any volunteers to go on stage and talk a little about the charity, and about themselves, and I put myself forwards straight away. Speaking to a room with 5000+ people felt weirdly natural and the days following that I was contacted by their team and asked if I'd consider being a representative - which I very happily agreed to. I want to raise awareness about teenage cancer, to try and dispel the stigma that comes alongside the disease and help others in my position to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel and they are not alone."
Did you always want to be a doctor, or did your diagnosis inspire you to follow that path?
"Funnily enough, this is one of the first questions people ask me when they find out I do medicine! I have always known that this was my path, and my experience has only confirmed my decision. I have probably had more specialist work experience than most prospective students dream of, I've undergone far too many medical tests, been a member of an MDT and even had an insight into experimental medicine. I will say this however - I'm not sure I want to be in oncology as it hits slightly too close to home."
How do you think your experiences will help you as a student doctor and future doctor?
"I think my experience will lend me a greater empathy towards my patients as I understand how overwhelming life can be when you are not well, and how valuable your health is. On reflection, one of the most important things I have learnt is that a patient knows their body better than anyone and to evaluate all their concerns - I would not want anyone to remain undiagnosed like I was for so long. I want to reflect the incredible care I personally received and pay back my debt to the NHS.”
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- Get in touch with mednews@liverpool.ac.uk if you are interested in stepping into the Student Spotlight or would like to nominate a student or group to do so.