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When Hilary Allen, a past student of Harbour View Primary School, walked into her PEP examinations room, she had to endure excruciating pain.

The youngster said she did not wear the pain of severe scoliosis on her face though, and when her tolerance level came close to its peak, she prayed for divine intervention. Prayers and hard work worked in her favour as this September, she will be gracing the halls of Campion College, her school of choice.

"I feel really elated and I am appreciating that God, my parents and teachers have helped me on this journey. I have already been inside Campion College as my older brother went there, and I wanted to experience that as well. So I am happy that I passed for there," Hilary said.

"I felt a lot of of pain during my exams, it was on a level of about eight [out of 10], but every day I prayed to God about it for me to push through. I had some doubts when I was doing the exams but I did it," she added.

Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine. It is often diagnosed after age 10 or in the early teen years. The curve may get worse as a child grows, causing severe pain and breathing problems.

Hilary's mother, Kerry-Ann Allen, said she is still on cloud nine as it relates to her daughter's achievement. She told THE STAR that she knew Hilary was a high achiever, but said she had doubts regarding her exam results because of her physical ailments.

"I knew she always want to attend Campion like her brother and she study really hard, but I had little doubts because sometimes I could see the pain on her face. Sometimes it got so bad and she would fall asleep. When I got the exam results, I just cry out to God and start giving Him thanks because I know my daughter is a warrior. We are all so proud of her, " she said.

Allen said there were days when she would burst into tears as she watched her daughter reel in agony from her medical condition. Despite the agony, Hilary she said would put on a brave face and remained focused on her academics.

"Her scoliosis is so bad that a brace cannot help her, and she will have to do an operation this November. She is going through extreme pain and her spinal cord shift and gone all the way to the left. So her organs are forcing on her lungs so sometimes she can hardy breathe. From she is nine she is experiencing this so she had to put up with all this pain before, during and after exams. There are times when I would cry and ask God why my child, because it is not a genetics thing. But, I tell you that she is so brave and we are proud of her, " Allen said.