Be Patient

TILLY ROSE is an author and activist, championing access to higher education and patient advocacy.When Tilly was just five years old, she visited her great aunt's farm in Ireland and ate a bowl of cereal with a jug of thick, creamy milk; an act which was set to change her path forever.Unbeknown to Tilly this was unpasteurised milk, straight from the cow's udder, containing M. bovis Tuberculosis (yes, a cow, quite literally, ruined her life). This catapulted Tilly into over 20 years of life as a patient.When everything else was beyond her control, studying became her unwavering focus. She taught herself, from hospital and home, and went onto read English Literature and Language at Jesus College, Oxford University. Tilly's own challenging journey inspired her platform, 'That Oxford Girl'; a powerful free resource, increasing access, social mobility and diversity at Oxford University. In 2018, her book That Oxford Girl A Real Student's Guide to Oxford University was published.In 2021 Tilly made the decision to share her patient journey on Instagram and saw first-hand how her experiences resonated with followers. Being a 'medical mystery' means she has carried out on-the-ground research into the medical community for 20 years. Tilly's own experiences inspired her to launch That Patient Collective (thatpatientcollective.com) @thatpatientcollective - a platform for patients to share their stories and support other patients along the way.