AN inspirational student has won a charity award in time for her birthday and third Christmas since she was given a year to live after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

Laura Nuttall from Barrowford is The Brain Tumour Charity’s Influencer of the Year in its 2020 Celebrating You Awards to honour their fundraisers, volunteers and ambassadors.

Lauded a “true inspiration” by the charity where she is a Young Ambassador, Miss Nuttall was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in November 2018 and given 12-18 months to live.

She won the Influencer of the Year Award in recognition of building a huge social media following, sharing her story to help raise awareness in the press.

She said: “It’s an honour to win this award. In my role as Young Ambassador, I say yes to everything I can to help the charity raise money and awareness.

“They’ve given my family so much support and I want to help other families facing the same challenges as mine and give us all hope.”

Mum, Nicola Nuttall said: “Laura hates being the centre of attention, but I’m so pleased she’s won this Celebrating You award as she’s worked so hard to raise awareness of brain tumour symptoms and highlight the lack of funding into research.”

Christmas will be more special than ever as its Miss Nuttall’s 21st birthday on December 23 and the family will be celebrating their third Christmas together since Laura’s devastating diagnosis.

She said: “I love Christmas and I’m just looking forward to being together as a family, especially as it’s my 21st, too.

“I can’t wait to see my baby cousin, Alice, who’s recently turned one, my family thought I may not have been around to meet her and it was so special when I met her on the day she was born.

Miss Nuttall was just weeks into an international relations degree at King’s College University in London when she started suffering headaches and nausea in October 2018.

She put the symptoms down to ‘fresher’s flu.’

But when she applied to join the Royal Navy reserves, an eye test revealed that her optic nerve was swollen, and was violently sick the following day.

After scans showed several more tumours, she had surgery to remove the largest tumour on November 7, 2018, and biopsy results showed she had a glioblastoma, the most common aggressive brain tumour in adults.

Since then, she has undergone gruelling chemotherapy and travels regularly to Cologne for immunotherapy, paid for by a fund the family set up.

Miss Nuttall defied doctors’ predictions she wouldn’t be able to go back to university, but she is now in her second year at the University of Manchester studying politics, philosophy and economics.

Miss Nuttall and her mum are spearheading The Brain Tumour Charity’s Winter Appeal to help raise vital funds towards finding that cure one day to help other families like them.

Sarah Lindsell, The Brain Tumour Charity’s chief executive, said: “Laura is the most unassuming person and richly deserves recognition in our Celebrating You Awards – she is a true inspiration to us all.”