A STUDENT who almost died during a seven-year battle with anorexia has bounced back and graduated from university.
Rowena Buxton-Henderson, 26, of The Meadows, spent her teenage years in and out of hospital because of the eating disorder.
At her worst, 6ft tall Rowena weighed just five-and-a-half stone and had to be resuscitated in hospital.
She was so ill that her mother, Carolann Henderson, even visited funeral parlours because she was convinced that her daughter would not survive.
But after a long road to recovery – which has seen her weight reach a healthy nine-and-a-half stone – Rowena has now earned a 2:1 masters degree in medicinal chemistry following five years of hard work.
She said: "I lost my most precious years with my family and friends – a time I should have been enjoying.
"I regret the time I've lost but I wouldn't be the person I am if I had not been through what I have."
She now has her sights set on using her skills for the good of others.
"I'm hoping to go into forensics or drug design. As long as I can help people in some way, that would be nice," she said.
Rowena also urged other people who might be suffering with eating disorders to seek help.
She said: "Everyone has their ups and downs. I think it's never going to completely leave me but there are different ways of managing it so I can have a life."
Her mother, 57, of East Leake, said: "We used to get phone calls at 11pm saying she was not going to make it through the night.
"I never thought we would be here with Rowena having a masters."
Rowena's twin sister, Kirsty, added: "To see her walking across that stage at her graduation was so emotional for all the right reasons."
