A teenager, who knows “exactly how it feels to be sat in the bed and not be able to walk, eat or even breathe”, is set to study medicine after suffering a coma in his teenage years.

Eshan Bilal (pictured above), 18, is moving to the University of St Andrew’s on the Fife coast in Scotland to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor just two years after becoming seriously ill.

In March 2022, Eshan was admitted to Royal Blackburn Hospital after contracting pneumonia, but was transferred to the high-dependency unit at Manchester Children’s Hospital after taking a turn for the worse.

As his condition deteriorated further, he moved to the intensive care unit where he was diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis.

Eshan said: “All my organs were inflamed, both of my lungs had collapsed, and my veins had collapsed.”

He was placed in an induced coma for three weeks and spent a total of two months in hospital, during which he learnt to walk again and was unable to eat or even breathe independently.

Eshan added: “I know exactly how it feels to be sat in the bed; I know exactly how it feels not to be able to walk, eat or to even breathe for yourself, and not even be able to speak, because I was mute for a few weeks.”

His main fear about attending university is that due to the expense of university life – particularly at a prestigious institution such as St Andrew’s – where Prince William and Princess Kate met – could jeopardise his learning and his community work.

However, he is a recipient of a bursary through the Edward Stocks Massey Bequest which means he will be supported financially through his studies.

He added: “My worries coming to St Andrew’s were that because of the majorly expensive lifestyle, the pressure from the studies of medicine and financial pressures, it will force me to get a part-time job.

They expect us to be working 50+ hours a week in medicine, so that, and a part-time job to meet financial requirements, wouldn’t leave me any time to carry out community work anymore. So I can keep helping people.”

The fund was set up by Burnley businessman Edward Stocks Massey when he died in 1909 and left £135,000, which is worth £20 million in today’s money.

His Bequest, established in 1910, enshrined the money to be used to support the arts and education in his hometown of Burnley, and it awards annual grants to promote science, learning, music and theatre, along with up to three education bursaries for students from the borough.

Olivia Phillips, 19, also benefitted from the fund and is studying film production at the University of Salford after being inspired by re-watching the film Fantastic Mr Fox.

She hopes to work in the film industry, but getting essential equipment and access to facilities can be expensive.

Olivia said: “I won’t have to sacrifice getting good materials for a film, investing in good quality costumes or hiring actors, and I can put a bit more money into making my films look like how I want them.

Even just travelling to locations if there’s somewhere specific I want to film. I’ve got a job, but it would have been a lot more difficult, and I would have had a lot less freedom without this.”

County Councillor Peter Buckley, cabinet member for community and cultural services at Lancashire County Council, said: “Edward Stocks Massey was a philanthropist so it is fitting that Eshan and Olivia are going into fields that help and inspire others through medicine and creativity.

They are both the first in their immediate family to attend university, which is incredibly inspiring.”

He added: “They are hugely deserving of this funding and the Bequest will continue to support not only students, but voluntary groups and organisations in the Burnley area that benefit the community for decades to come.

I would encourage organisations and individuals to apply for funding from the Edward Stocks Massey Bequest when applications open again next Spring.”