Leith teenager diagnosed with stage four cancer to star at Royal Albert Hall gig
An Edinburgh teenager who was diagnosed with stage four cancer at the age of 13 is preparing to take to the stage at a rock concert at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday.
Rosa Ross from Leith underwent intensive chemotherapy over her 14th birthday after doctors discovered a fist-sized tumour in her chest - as well as masses in her kidney, pancreas and bones.
Now cancer-free, the 16-year-old is starring in a film about her diagnosis and is appearing in front of thousands of people at a fundraising gig for the Teenage Cancer Trust at one of London’s most iconic venues.
Speaking about her experiences, she said: “Before my diagnosis, my life was pretty simple.
“I was enjoying school, rock climbing and singing lessons. I liked hanging out with friends and did quite a lot of crafting.”
But after experiencing pain in her hips, shoulders, and legs, as well as swelling, chest pain and difficulty breathing, the young teenager was admitted to hospital.
An X-ray and CT scan revealed the large mass in her chest and she was diagnosed with stage four Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
“In space of a few hours my life turned upside down,” she said.
“One of my biggest fears was whether I was going to die. Then I started thinking about what having cancer meant to my day-to-day life.
“I didn’t know if I could go to school or how long I was going to have to be in hospital for.
“I was really worried about my hair coming out and how long it would take to come back.
“Losing my hair was such a big fear.”
Rosa’s diagnosis came as a huge shock to her family, especially her mum Rachel Edwards.
Ms Edwards said: “When Rosa was first diagnosed in A&E, we were given an idea of what treatment would look like.
“They said it would involve really intense chemo, that she’d need a feeding tube, that she would lose her hair, and she’d be in a wheelchair.
“I looked at my child who had been rock climbing two days before and thought: ‘It’s not possible. It’s fine. What do you mean?’”
Rosa described the initial rounds of chemo as “really brutal”, forcing her to stay in hospital for four weeks over her birthday.
“I had mucositis, my face swelled up, I needed a feeding tube, lost my appetite, and had sickness and fatigue,” she said.
While going through her treatment Rosa used the Teenage Cancer Trust ward in the hospital, which she said quickly became a “second home” and allowed her to be a normal teenager.
She said: “It was amazing to be in a space designed with teens in mind. It made such a difference.
“There was a snug and a communal room, a Play Station, four Nintendo’s, lovely reclining chairs, a hot chocolate maker, and a craft cupboard; all things which teens enjoy.
“It was comfortable and homely. I had three days in the High Dependency Unit once and I was so excited to get back to the ward afterward as it felt like a second home.”
Her youth supporter, Connor, played a huge role organising different activities and helping her meet other teenagers affected by cancer.
“He is really easy to talk to. It was really refreshing to talk to someone who got all of the cancer stuff but didn’t talk about it all of the time,” she said.
“I taught him and another young person how to make friendship bracelets. That’s something I do a lot, so it was great to do an everyday activity.
“I also played Mario with him.”
Rosa said she is “very excited” to speak about her experiences as part of the Teenage Cancer Trust’s fundraising gig at the Royal Albert Hall this weekend.
She will be called to the stage after the short film starring her and her mum, before the rock band Garbage perform.
Ahead of the event, she said: “I think it’s amazing that Teenage Cancer Trust is giving me and so many other young people the chance to share our experiences with cancer and I really hope that it encourages the people there to donate to Teenage Cancer Trust so they can keep doing all the amazing work they are doing."