With a Little Help From My Friends…
When Charlie Andrews (MSc 2020) came to St Andrews in 2018 to study Computing and IT he joined the Men’s 1st Football team during his first week. It was the support of this team that helped him to win the biggest fight of his life so far.
I was always attracted to St Andrews and what I had heard about the nature of student life there. The feeling of community and the support that the students and staff give each other is unlike anywhere else I have experienced, and this ended up helping me massively with some of the challenges that I faced during my time there.
I have always been a keen footballer and have competed for a variety of teams and clubs throughout my life, so during my first week in St Andrews I decided to trial for the University’s football club. I was delighted when I was placed in the Men’s 1st team. This was a big commitment as it involved numerous training sessions, gym sessions and matches throughout the week but I loved it all, and to this day I believe that joining the football club was the best decision I ever made during my time as a St Andrews student. It gave me a structure and fun outside my studies, and I met some amazing people whom I now consider friends for life.
It was during a match for the University that my life changed. I was knocked unconscious during the game and for days after I experienced unusual pains all over my body, as well as night sweats and insomnia, all of which I put down to the knock I had taken on my head.
Weeks went by and my symptoms got worse instead of better. I had to return home because I was not in a fit state to look after myself at University. However, after numerous tests and trips to the hospital it was discovered that my illness was nothing to do with my head injury: I received instead the life-changing news that I had been diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer known as Burkitt’s Lymphoma, which had presented at Stage 4.
I was thrust into the biggest fight of my life.
There followed six months of intensive chemotherapy, which was split between the Manchester Royal Infirmary and the Christie Hospital. It was by far the toughest time of my life both physically and mentally. Every day was a struggle, but I tried my best to remain strong. The thought of returning to St Andrews with the biggest victory of my life under my belt was something that motivated me and kept me going. I decided to take each day as it came and with each day that passed, I was that much closer to beating the disease.
By August 2019 I had completed my treatment and shortly after that I was told I was in remission: I had my life back.
The support I received from people at St Andrews during this time was incredible and is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Friends visited me in hospital. My football teammates won The Kingdom of Fife Division 1 Cup and dedicated the victory to me (some of them even shaved their heads in my honour). A group of my teammates and coaches raised around £4,300 for Blood Cancer UK by completing a gruelling charity bike ride of 300miles over three days from St Andrews to Old Trafford football ground in Manchester, where I greeted them at the finish line with my family.
These gestures meant the world to me and motivated me to complete my treatment, return to University to finish my degree and try to get out on the football pitch again. I managed to do all of these. I graduated with a Merit in December 2020 (despite the pandemic), played my first game for the Football club soon after returning and even managed to be part of the Scottish Conference Cup winning side in my last ever game for St Andrews, where I lifted the trophy alongside my captain.
I went through the most testing times of my life here, but I would not change my St Andrews experience for anything. I met so many amazing people and had some unforgettable experiences. All of these played a huge part in shaping the person that I am today and for that, St Andrews will always hold a special place in my heart.