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'Audience applause helped me walk at graduation'

Lee BottomleyStoke-on-Trent
BBC A woman with long dark hair in a red gown and cap smiles at the camera. She is outside a two storey buildingBBC
Bal Deol said she felt proud to have walked across the stage at her graduation

A disabled student who walked across the stage at her graduation after secretly practising in order to surprise family has said the applause of the audience kept her going.

Bal Deol, 33, graduated with a PhD in Education from the University of Staffordshire on Monday, marking the end of a 15-year association with the institution.

Diagnosed with generalised dystonia aged eight, she has lived with painful muscle spasms, fatigue, and the progressive loss of her mobility and vision. She normally uses a wheelchair to get around.

She said that at the ceremony, she expected the applause to die down as she made her way across stage using a walking aid, but it did not, and it helped her to continue.

"I still can't believe that I did that," she said of the achievement.

Deol said the preparation for her stage walk began in February, and had been very hard to keep it a secret.

She added there had been a mix of emotions, and felt "proud, happy and sad to be leaving this amazing university".

People in formal wear clap as a woman in a red gown and cap uses a walking aid to cross a stage.
The moment Deol crossed the stage at her graduation on Monday

The 33-year-old joined University of Staffordshire in 2011 to study Business Management, and was later president of the Students' Union.

"I came here as a very insecure, quiet individual and now I'm leaving [as] a strong, powerful, independent woman," she said.

Deol wants to stay in the education sector and says she is passionate about helping people better understand disability.

In 2018, a taxi driver was fined after refusing to pick her up because she used a wheelchair.

A large group of people in formal wear are pictured throwing their mortar board hats in the air
The 33-year-old has graduated from the University of Staffordshire with a PhD in Education.

Her mother, Amrit Deol from Wolverhampton, said the graduation was overwhelming and it was amazing to see her daughter walk on to the stage.

"I was so close to tears, I had to calm myself down, it was wonderful.. honestly I can't explain, it was such a fantastic time to see her walk."

Deol said her daughter was a very determined individual and would not allow her disability to hold her back.

"We've always brought her up to believe anything in life can be achieved."

A woman with shoulder length dark hair, wearing a floral top, smiles at the camera
Amrit Deol said her daughter was inspirational

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