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.
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.
