KOTA KINABALU: Despite the side effects of chemotherapy, Shamsulmezah Shamsul managed to finish her thesis and was awarded a first-class honours bachelor's degree.
The 24-year-old from Tamparuli completed the International Tropical Forestry programme with an impressive Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.77.
Shamsulmezah was diagnosed with early-stage ovarian cancer, diagnosed during her fourth semester in August last year.
"When I was diagnosed, I almost gave up, but my parents, especially my mother, never allowed me to surrender. They were the backbone of my strength.
"I often studied from home as attending physical classes was too difficult. However, I never stopped taking my own notes and revising diligently, even if I could only manage a little at a time.
"My mother was my primary caregiver while I was in the hospital. She not only took care of me but also stayed with me as I completed my thesis, even going out late at night to find a suitable workspace," she was quoted in a statement.
Her thesis is titled "Distribution Modelling of Graphium stratiotes (Papilionidae) and Delias eumolpe (Pieridae) in Sabah, Malaysia."
"Receiving this award is a dream come true," said the recipient of the Forestry Sustainability Award in a brief ceremony following the sixth session of the UMS Convocation, witnessed by UMS Pro-Chancellor Tan Sri Azman Hashim.
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