Rosa is a young leader with Girlguiding, and part of the Teenage Cancer Trust Advisory Group, where she advocates for younger teenage patients.

Rosa was 13 years old when she was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkins lymphoma and everything in her life came to a stop as she faced intense chemotherapy in hospital. Despite her illness, Rosa was determined to find some good in her diagnosis. Living in hospital for almost 4 months, she managed to complete her bronze Duke of Edinburgh award sections, volunteering on the cancer ward where she was a patient. She supported other young patients with hair loss, and helped organise activities for young people on the ward. This achievement was honoured when she was recognised by Youth without Limits as Boundary Breaker of the Year.

As she recovered from treatment, volunteering remained important. Rosa is a young leader with her local Girlguiding and Brownies units. She has also volunteered with and fundraised for LoveOliver, a local cancer charity that supported her through her treatment. Determined to use her experience to make things better for other young people, Rosa is part of the Teenage Cancer Trust Advisory Group where she advocates for younger teenage patients, making sure their views are represented. She is also a member of Amplify, Girlguiding’s youth steering group, where she looks for opportunities to make Guiding accessible to girls who may not be able to attend regular meetings, for example due to illness.

Despite missing large amounts of school because of her illness, Rosa is sitting her Highers this year and hopes to study childhood cancer treatments in the future.