Against All The Odds

From The Gloucester Citizen July 1986

I was rummaging through decades of papers and I found this newspaper article my parents had clipped and saved. It was amazing to hear my father speak after so my years. 

AGAINST ALL THE ODDS 

DEGREE FOR GIRL DOCTORS SAID WOULD DIE 

A young woman whose parents were told she would dic ol a brain haemorrhage at the age of five, receves a univcrsity degree on Saturday. (5th July 1986) Proud parents, Trudy and Frank Cook, the caretaker (and Cleaners)  at Crypt School. Gloucester will be at the ceremony as their daughter Mary Ellen, now aged 36 years, he’s given her open University bachelor of arts degree. 

For them, it is nothing short of a miracle. When Mary Anning was a toddler, the doctors said she was unlikely to survive

But since then she has achieved O and A  levels (7 and 2); trained as a teacher, married, had two children of her own; and now, after five years study, while working, and looking after her family, has obtained a BA. Mr Cook said: “we are overjoyed and as proud as can be. At one time we thought we were going to lose her, it was our blackest moment ever“.

The family were living in Mattson at the time. Maryellen had hooping cough. It is not clear whether the coughing or a bang on the head in a fall from a chair caused the brain haemorrhage.

Mary Ellen was taken into over hospital. She was paralysed down one side, suffered convulsions and could not see. The parents were told there was 1000 to one chance she would survive.

Suddenly, when things were at the blackest, both Mr and Mrs Cook had a vision, they could never explain. A voice came to both of them saying that their daughter would be alright.

Mary Ellen not only recovered, but instead of her brain power, receding, it seemed to improve. She began to read, fairytale books and newspapers in a way she never could before she was ill. New paragraph

Mr Cook said: “the doctors were amazed and said she would make medical history.“

Mary Ellen went to Finlay Road junior school and then passed her 11+ to  Ribston Hall High School for Girls, where she took O-levels and two A-levels.

She trained as a teacher at Bingley College in Yorkshire, where she met her husband Ray, who also now a teacher.

The couple now both teach in Rainham in Essex where they live.* They have two daughters Jenny six and Katie two. .

She has also been helping with a pioneer scheme, looking after unmarried, pregnant women and having them and their newly born babies in her own home.

Mr Cook said: “She is a very strong member of the church. She says that God gave her life again, a second chance, and so she is out to help anyone in. Anyway she possibly can. She wants to make sure she’s making full use of her life.”

*Mum Newtons Junior

Dad Mitchell Junior