**Welsh Carer Overcomes Misconceptions to Realise Academic Ambitions After Late Dyslexia Diagnosis**
Karen Armitage’s path to academic fulfilment was never typical, nor was it easy. As the eldest child in her family, hailing from Neath, she stepped into the role of young carer at the tender age of nine—a responsibility that many children never experience. Yet throughout her formative years, Karen was often judged by her peers and teachers as slow and unmotivated. Only in adulthood would she come to understand the true reason behind her struggles, confronting these labels and ultimately proving them all wrong.
The onset of the pandemic, while a time of uncertainty for many, served as a period of healing and self-discovery for Karen. At 25, now a Swansea University graduate, she reflects on the adversity she faced, both as a carer and as a student facing unrecognised learning challenges. Her story is a demonstration of resilience and the impact that proper support can have on one’s life trajectory.
Karen’s early life was marked by juggling household responsibilities with the demands of her education. “When I was nine, it dawned on me that being the oldest carried certain obligations,” Karen recalls. By the age of 15, her sense of duty had deepened, as she prepared for the day she would one day be ‘in charge’ of the family. School, meanwhile, was another battlefield. Just as the pressure of GCSEs loomed, Karen suffered a debilitating bout of glandular fever which left her physically and mentally drained.
Reflecting on that period, Karen admits, “I didn’t realise the impact at the time, but I know now I wasn’t at my best. My mind was preoccupied and my health was poor, but still, I sat my exams.” The illness left a significant gap in her memory, with little recollection of the months that followed, blurred further by the challenges of managing anxiety which subsequently confined her to her home.
Seeking a fresh start, Karen enrolled in hairdressing at Afan College in Port Talbot. It was here that fate intervened in the form of two supportive staff members—a counsellor and a dyslexia coach—who changed the course of her life. The day Karen was officially diagnosed with dyslexia was a bittersweet milestone. “I cried,” Karen shares candidly, “not from sadness, but because I finally understood I wasn’t lazy or slow. The labels I’d carried for years were misplaced. Dyslexia explained why I found reading and spelling so difficult, and why my learning methods seemed strange to others.”
Despite the clarity her diagnosis brought, Karen was told she could not complete the third year of her hairdressing course. Undeterred, she embarked on a pre-access programme, determined to re-enter the academic sphere. An initial foray into psychology studies soon gave way to a renewed passion for history, inspired by films depicting the Second World War. A reflective walk along Aberavon Beach with her grandmother helped her process her past academic frustrations and crystallised her ambition. “In that moment, I knew what I wanted to pursue,” she says.
Dedicated to her new vision, Karen undertook an access to humanities course, before being accepted onto a BA degree in Egyptology and ancient history at Swansea University. Here, she found both academic fulfilment and a broader purpose. Beyond her studies, Karen served as a school representative, advocating for accessibility and inclusion, and working actively to support other students with caring responsibilities.
“My experiences as a carer and as someone with dyslexia have informed everything I do,” Karen explains. “My aim has always been to make life less stressful for those—like my neurodivergent siblings—who are often overlooked.”
Having graduated, Karen is now preparing to pursue a master’s degree in public history and heritage. Her ambition extends beyond personal advancement; she wishes to use her new role as a part-time Students’ Union officer to ensure that no student faces their challenges alone.
“Looking back, I’m not the same person I was when I started university,” says Karen, crediting the network of support she found at Swansea. “I’m passionate about fostering that sense of belonging for others who, like me, may have once believed they didn’t fit in.”
Karen’s journey is a testament to the importance of understanding, support, and perseverance in overcoming adversity—an inspiring reminder that those who are often labelled and doubted can, given the right encouragement, lift themselves and others to new heights.