Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom it may concern,

Thank you for your time in considering and reviewing my petition. My name is Emily Howlett and I am a fourth year student with concerns about my grades during the 2024 Fall and 2025 Winter school year. On January 30th 2025 I was diagnosed with a very severe iron deficiency that had gone undiagnosed for a number of months. I got my blood tested in early February and will include the laboratory findings in the supporting documents along with a note from my doctor written before her retirement in April 2025 detailing the condition and how it affected my body. The deficiency affected all aspects of my life including social, mental and academic as my grades dropped significantly due to the nature of the deficiency and its symptoms which include low energy, crippling fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, pale skin, fainting, low blood pressure and lessened immunity against illness. The fatigue would render me unable to attend class and keep the focus necessary to achieve my usual standards in my work. The only cure or preventative measure to a deficiency is iron supplementation which my doctor prescribed after receiving the lab results, however my doctor informed me that it takes three months for the body to absorb the iron and begin experiencing its beneficial effects and six months for my body to fully replenish the stores that I had lost. I started the supplements in mid February and unfortunately did not regain energy or normalcy until after the school year and exam season ended. Since then I have taken them every day and changed my diet to include more iron and vitamin C as a precaution and will continue to get regular blood tests every six months to monitor my iron levels as there is a history of debilitating iron deficiency in my family, especially among the women (my grandmother and mother).
My first two years of study when I did not have the iron deficiency my grades maintained an average of B and C, however my grades last year were significantly lower, directly affecting my core seminar HIST 308, a hands-on course on Canadian Pop Culture and its symbols , as I missed quizzes held in class which dropped my grade to below the average needed to meet the requirements of the seminars I need to take this year. I will continue taking the iron supplements through the school year as well as monitoring my iron levels with student wellness to improve my academic achievements this year.

I appreciate your time and best regards,

Emily Howlett
Student ID: 20341990