Just four years ago, at the age of 21, a devastating and extremely rare stroke left Leah Batchelor in a vegetative state with little prospect that she would ever be able to walk, talk, eat or breathe unaided again.
She was effectively trapped in her own body through what is known as locked-in syndrome, which as we report today meant that she was fully aware of her potentially fatal condition but the only muscle she could move was her eyelids.
Next week, after an astonishing recovery made possible through her own determination and an outstanding programme of assistance, she intends to walk across a graduation stage and collect her 2:1 honours degree in graphic design from Ulster University.
Everyone who played a role in her inspirational story deserves enormous praise but the main credit for a transformation carried out in the most difficult of circumstances must go to Leah herself.
