Award for ‘selfless’ teenager who supported fellow young cancer patients

An Edinburgh schoolgirl who used her cancer diagnosis as a springboard to support other young patients has been recognised for her “positivity and selflessness” at an event at Buckingham Palace.

Rosa Ross, 14, was one of seven young people recognised at the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award charity’s annual This is Youth celebration in November, which saw her invited to tea with the duke and a host of celebrities.

The Duke of Edinburgh with Rosa Ross, Boundary Breaker of the Year award during the Duke of Edinburgh's Award afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace | PA

Rosa, who attends Trinity Academy in Edinburgh, was diagnosed with stage four non-Hodgkin lymphoma – a cancer of the lymphatic system – in January 2024.

Her singing teacher had noticed an abnormality in her breathing, and she went on to experience a high fever, extreme chest pain and shortness of breath, which turned out to be caused by a “fist-sized tumour” pushing on her heart and lungs.

She underwent four cycles of treatment as an inpatient, each involving eight days of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, steroids and operations, before continuing to receive further treatment as an outpatient.

Rosa, who had been four months into her Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) bronze award when she received her diagnosis, said she was determined to make “something good” come out of her experience.

She decided to continue with her DofE in spite of her illness, and completed part of her award by supporting other young people going through similar treatment in hospital.

She helped organise ward activities to bring them together, and offered support to those worried about hair loss – all while undergoing weeks of intensive treatment herself.

Rosa Ross, 14, from Edinburgh, who was selected as winner of the Boundary Breaker of the Year category for her resilience and selfless determination, after she refused to let a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma stop her from doing her Duke of Edinburgh's Award | PA

“I had the mindset of, if I have to go through this horrible experience there must be something good to come out of it,” she said.

“I could see how much going through cancer treatment absolutely sucks and if I could do anything to make it a tiny bit easier for the other young people, just a tiny smile or a laugh, I wanted to.

“It meant I could enjoy aspects of my time, while also helping others.

“I’d support the staff by going and having a chat with any young people who were worried about losing their hair.

“I could give a first-hand perspective and say ‘yes, it’s terrible, but when it comes back it looks like this’.

“I’d let them try on things like a fun pink wig and a headband that looks like hair, or my wig. I think it makes it less scary.

“I was losing my hair at the same time, so it felt like we were in it together.

“One of the kids left me a note saying thank you and signed it ‘from your new friend’, which meant a lot.”

Rosa receiving treatment in hospital after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma | PA

Rosa also used her physiotherapy sessions to continue her singing as part of the “skills” section of her award.

“My lungs had partially collapsed with treatment, so part of my physio was blowing bubbles to try and encourage my lungs to work,” she said.

“We used to sing a lot of Taylor Swift – it was the highlight of my week and really good for increasing my lung capacity.

“I had to have nasal oxygen and I was sleeping sitting upright as the tumour was pressing on my lungs, so it was definitely a challenge.”

Rosa was named boundary breaker of the year at the This is Youth celebration in recognition of her “resilience and selfless determination”.

Awards judge Jodie Ounsley, better known as Fury from TV show Gladiators, described Rosa as a “shining example” of what the award was about.

“Rosa’s determination and resilience are among the reasons she stood out to me as this year’s boundary breaker of the year winner,” she said.

“Receiving a cancer diagnosis is tough no matter your age and I am in complete awe of her positivity and selflessness during this time of her life.

“Rosa’s positivity knows no bounds and to hear how that positivity, coupled with her DofE, has brought young people together, reducing isolation and providing reassurance, makes her a shining example of what This is Youth boundary breaker of the year stands for.

“Congratulations Rosa – you are so deserving of this recognition.”

Speaking after her win Rosa said: “It’s really amazing. I just wasn’t expecting it at all. I was very surprised when I found out and I still wake up sometimes thinking ‘wow’.”

Now in its second year, the Duke of Edinburgh charity’s This is Youth recognises the stories behind the DofE Awards, its half a million participants and nearly 40,000 volunteers, and celebrates the things young people achieve and the dedication of the adults who support them.