“You will be lucky if you are cognitive enough to work in a fast-food restaurant,” a doctor told Rachel Forsey while she was recovering from a major medical event.
Nine years later, she’s proved that prediction wrong.
With determination and a little help, Ms. Forsey has completed her bachelor of science degree in biology and a minor in biochemistry. On May 28, she will cross the Arts and Culture Centre stage during Memorial’s spring convocation ceremonies.
The early years
Growing up in Paradise, N.L., Ms. Forsey did not have a typical childhood.
“I was born with profound hearing loss and missed critical developmental milestones. I received my cochlear implant just before I turned two,” she said.
She spent her early education with a speech and auditory therapist, an experience that shaped her resilience and sparked an interest in science and the mysteries of the natural world.
“I was also fortunate to have several professors who went above and beyond to make me feel supported.”
As a new student at Memorial University in 2016, Ms. Forsey knew she would need a support system.
Accessibility Services (the Blundon Centre) does just that: offering accommodations for students with disabilities and neurodivergent learners.
“The centre set up classroom speakers and microphones, and arranged exam accommodations so I could perform on equal footing with other students,” said Ms. Forsey. “I was also fortunate to have several professors who went above and beyond to make me feel supported.”
Determined to advocate for herself, she proactively met with her instructors and attended office hours to keep up with coursework.
The first semester was off to a promising start — until everything changed.
Fighting for her future
Just days before her first exam, Ms. Forsey collapsed at home.
She was diagnosed with a massive saddle pulmonary embolism that caused cardiac arrest and led to brain damage.
“Instead of completing my first semester, I spent months in rehabilitation, relearning how to speak and write. I had to drop all my courses.”
That was when a doctor doubted her cognitive future.
“I studied for my calculus final exam while undergoing chemotherapy, blood transfusions and platelet infusions.”
But Ms. Forsey was determined. By spring 2017, she tested her readiness with one course and earned an A.
However, one month before the fall semester, she was diagnosed with leukemia. She travelled to Toronto, again withdrawing from courses to focus on treatment.
Ms. Forsey’s cancer went into remission and she came back to campus in fall 2018, only for it to return in winter 2019.
“My parents and doctors suggested I drop my courses, but I refused. I studied for my calculus final exam while undergoing chemotherapy, blood transfusions and platelet infusions.”
After completing her exams, a second stem cell transplant finally resulted in long-term remission.
In fall 2021, Ms. Forsey experienced a rare brain stroke during an organic chemistry lab. Thankfully, the stroke left no lasting damage.
‘Journey of resilience’
Since 2021, Ms. Forsey’s health has stabilized.
She completed her degree with a GPA of 3.95 and earned several scholarships and awards. She plans to work in a lab one day, advancing genetic research or environmental science.
“Graduating means everything to me,” she said. “It wasn’t just about classes, labs and exams. It was a journey of resilience — a victory over every challenge that tried to hold me back.”
