PRACHIN BURI: The mother of a proud new university graduate has expressed her gratitude to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn for arranging a special degree presentation ceremony for her seriously sick daughter.
"I can't put it into words," Apinya Putto said on Monday. "I never thought it would be possible."
The ceremony she will never forget was on Saturday, and was later rebroadcast on social media.
Her daughter Asama, 24, was supposed to join her friends at the faculty of education of Chulalongkorn University for the degree presentation by the Princess on Oct 1-2. But kidney cancer makes it impossible for her to be there.
Her parents wrote a letter to the university advising them that Ms Asama could not attend the event as she was in the last stage of the disease.
The Princess then asked university president Bundhit Eua-arporn to present the degree to the new graduate on her behalf. The presentation was arranged at her house in Muang district.
It was later moved to a room at Abhaibhubejhr Hospital on Saturday, after Ms Asama went into shock, lost consciousness and stopped breathing for about two minutes before being revived by CPR.
The university president, provincial governor Pibul Hatthakitkosol, doctors and nurses were among those who attended the ceremony, with Ms Asama in her hospital bed and receiving the degree she had worked so hard for.
Ms Asama has since returned home.
"I had not believed there would ever be a graduation day for my daughter," her mother said.