Graduate working at Milton Keynes Council receives new award in memory of brain tumour campaigner

An award created in memory of a brain tumour awareness campaigner has been presented to its first ever recipient at the University of Bedfordshire’s November graduation ceremony.

Amy Pates, a Social Work Apprenticeship graduate, now working as a Youth Offending Officer with Milton Keynes Council, received the Amani Liaquat Award, set up by the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences (HSS).

After her diagnosis, first class honours law graduate Amani, campaigned tirelessly to improve care and research into brain cancers while battling an inoperable grade 4 glioblastoma, becoming an advocate and fundraiser for the charity Brain Tumour Research.

In June 2021, Amani, of Luton, vowed: “I may be terminally ill but that has just made me even more determined to make a change in this world. I want to be able to say I am proud of what I did with the time I was given.”

Amani, 23, was awarded a Master of Science in Applied Social Welfare with Distinction at a bedside graduation ceremony arranged by the University just six days before she passed away in February.

Amy said: “To hear the legacy behind this award was very special, so I’m honoured to be the first person to receive it in Amani’s name.”

Amani’s mother Yasmin said: “We’re really honoured – it’s very bittersweet for us so very emotional, but at the same time we just feel absolutely honoured and so grateful to the University of Bedfordshire for honouring our daughter in this way and keeping her memory alive.”

Other award prizes presented to HSS graduates included:

> Children & Young People’s Nursing graduate, Rachel Clements, celebrated winning the Dr Tony Wood Award, awarded to the most outstanding final year student in the field of healthcare.

> Lucy Leanne Robins was awarded the Stephanie O’Kane Award for Innovation in Maternity Care. The accolade was introduced in 2019 in memory of Bedfordshire alumna Stephanie and the contribution she made to maternity care in the local area.

> Hannah Abbey was also named this year’s recipient of the local Freemasons Martin Foss Award – named after a former surgeon and Provincial Grand Master for Bedfordshire – presented each year to a Nursing or Midwifery student who has made the greatest contribution to their school.