81-year-old stroke survivor gets degree after beating cancer twice
An 81-year-old mother who has survived both a stroke and cancer has shown the power of perseverance by earning her bachelor's degree.
If there's anyone who deserves to put their feet up during retirement, it's Janice Hall, from Indiana.
Throughout more than eight decades on Earth, Hall has become a mother, suffered and survived a stroke, and been diagnosed with and beaten breast cancer on two different occasions.
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She has 14 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
You might think Hall would want to kick back and relax after all that, but instead she signed up a few years ago to do a degree in organizational management at Bethel University, a private Christian university in Indiana.
The mother made it part of her 'bucket list' to complete the qualification, and over the following years she put in the work necessary to get her degree.
According to Bethel University, the course teaches students how 'organizations function and develops management and leadership skills', featuring a range of topics including human resources and marketing which translate into 'technical skills in areas including economics, finance, statistics and systems management'.
Students at Bethel can earn their degree in two years by taking classes twice a week for four hours, and thanks to her dedication Hall was among the graduates at the university that took to the stage this year to accept their degrees.
The elderly student was met with cheers and applause as she collected her degree, with her story earning her praise as an 'inspiration'.
Speaking to KATU 2 News about her achievements, Hall said: "My age and my disability has not defined me. There's much more for us to do, even as older individuals.
"We have wisdom that we can share with the younger generation."
Hall's son Michael shared photos of his mum's graduation as he celebrated the impressive accomplishment on Facebook .
"Congratulations to my mother who received her Bachelor's Degree from Bethel University at 81 years old," Michael wrote, adding: "What an amazing milestone to accomplish."
Michael's post was flooded with praise from impressed Facebook users, with many congratulating his mother as her hard work paid off.
"Congratulations to an amazing woman!!!" one person commented, while another added: "Congratulations such an inspiration...never too late!"
Even after accepting her degree, Hall doesn't look to be slowing down any time soon as she's already been accepted into Bethel's master's program in Ministry.
Her story just goes to show once again that age is just a number.
Emily Brown