A GIRL who overcame a paralysed stomach to get 11 GCSEs including three As and an A* wants to study medicine and research a cure for her condition.

Hafsa Momin, 16, of Ashely Gardens, Palmers Green, was like any other teenager at Winchmore School until July last year when her eating problems started to kick.

By December, when she last ate food, her grades had dropped and she was throwing up after every meal due to a rare condition, known as Gastroparesis, which leaves the stomach unable to move.

She was admitted to hospital for a long period, is fed through a machine and is on a shopping list of different drugs but still faces pain, dizziness, nausea and headaches.

She was offered the chance to put her exams back a year but was inspired by the life chances not given to children in her home country Afghanistan to fight on.

On the back of one night’s revision for each exam she got an A*, three As, four Bs, two Cs and a D, and hopes two of the grades will go up after she appeals.

She said: “Personally, I see education as something I hold on to because I’m from Afghanistan and back home not a lot of people get the chance to go to school.

“My parents told me ‘you don’t have to do it this year, you can do it next year. Whatever you choose, we will help you’.

“But I’m the type of person who would think what if I had done it? I was really happy. I wasn’t expecting to do so well. I thought just getting a C would be fine.”

She had planned to go into teaching but her traumatic experience has given her the inspiration to pursue research into the condition, which at the moment is not extensive.

She also wants to set up a support group for other patients after seeing a blog by a woman in America.

She said: “They told me there’s no cure for it. When they said that I just thought am I going to still be like this forever?

“I hope I can find one. I think there’s a cure for everything, that’s my personal belief. Even if I can’t find a cure I can help others and other people won’t feel alone like I do.”

She added: “I really want to raise awareness about it. I’ve got this vision. This woman in America has really inspired me. I want to make a group but I don’t know where to start.”