A STUDENT who was diagnosed with type one diabetes weeks before her A-level exams has achieved three A*s.

Francesca Evans, a student at Burgess Hill Girls school, had just six weeks to go before her first A-level exams when she began to feel like she had no energy and received a life-changing diagnosis.

She said: “I thought I was just working too hard and just stressed, but then I started to get brain fog.

“My mum, who is a doctor, was suspicious it was something else.”

Francesca got tested and was later rushed to hospital, where she later was diagnosed with type one diabetes - a condition where blood glucose levels are too high due to the body being unable to make produce insulin.

She said: “It has been a total re-education about how to live my life and what I can eat and that was tough when you combine it with revising but somehow I managed it, even though I was really worried about my blood sugar levels while I was doing exams.”

Francesca achieved A*s in English literature, religious studies and psychology and will now apply to Cambridge after a gap year travelling.

Headteacher at Burgess Hill Girls Liz Laybourn said she was in awe of the students who had shown “resilience, perseverance and commitment” in the face of unprecedented disruption and despite never sitting an exam before, after their GCSE exams were cancelled due to the pandemic.

Ms Laybourn said: “All students should be congratulated on achieving superb results following what can only be described as a significant period of uncertainty over the past two years. 

“The level of resilience, perseverance and commitment they have displayed throughout their A-level studies is praiseworthy considering they were deprived of sitting any formal GCSE examinations.  They have certainly risen to the challenge and we are immensely proud of them all today.”

The independent girls school maintained a 100 per cent pass rate, with the majority of students achieving their firm or insurance university place.