A determined schoolgirl has passed nine GCSEs – despite having a HEART ATTACK during the exam period.
Plucky Charlotte Hall, 16, was midway through the tests when she fell ill at home one night with pains in her jaw, chest and arm.
She was rushed to hospital where doctors said she had suffered a heart attack and detected a hole in her heart.
She spent a week in hospital before returning to school to sit her final two exams and has now been rewarded with an A* in design and technology, three As, four Bs and one E.
Charlotte, from Hartlepool, Durham, said: “I was really scared because I didn’t know what was going on.
“I knew something was wrong as I had pain in my jaw, chest and arm.
“I was usually really healthy.”
Charlotte spent May half term week in hospital before summoning the strength to sit her chemistry and history papers.
She said: “I’m really happy at the results.”
She is now on long-term medication and waiting to hear about an operation to close the hole in her heart.
Victoria Parker, her head of house at English Martyrs in Hartlepool, said: “We were obviously mortified that someone her age could possibly have a heart attack.
“To happen when it did was awful for her but she showed the ultimate resilience, enthusiasm and dedication to her studies.
“I think it is a miracle she was even able to come back to school and sit the exams she did.”
Charlotte will return to at school in September to study A-levels in Maths, English literature, RE and psychology.
