Our 2015 Teen Heroes

The Teen Awards celebrates the achievements of some brilliant and inspiring young people - our Teen Heroes.

After an unbelievably difficult judging process, we're really proud to reveal our Teen Hero award winners for 2015.

In 2012, 14 year-old Rosie was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma - a highly malignant brain tumour.

Despite undergoing treatment for the life-threatening illness - including a nine-hour operation - Rosie continued to go to school and enjoy her passion for horse-riding.

She also decided to give back to the charities who had given so much help to her. In spite of her illness, she ran the Race for Life in Coventry and embarked on a fundraising drive across local department stores.

After being treated successfully, Rosie's cancer has returned - twice. Incredibly, this hasn't stopped her from raising thousands of pounds for cancer charities The Little Princess Trust and Teenage Cancer Trust.

She also scooped the prestigious Child of Courage Award at The Pride of Coventry and Warwickshire Awards.

14 year-old Alice was a young carer for her mum, who has severe substance and mental health issues, until she was taken into emergency foster care last year.

Alice has been involved with Gloucestershire Young Carers for around five years. Despite a
desperately sad and difficult home situation, she has always shown bravery and selflessness in how she cared for her younger sister.

She has become a young leader in a group that supports junior school aged young carers - giving them a break from their caring role and helping them cope with their home situation.

She’s worked hard to educate adults who work with people like her mum, helping to write a book entitled Parents, Pints and Pills, which aims to support young people in a similar situation.

She's also helped to create a video which captures what it's like to live with a parent with mental health issues, raised awareness of young carers on local radio and been part of high-profile fundraising events - including with a member of the Royal Family.

Aaren has been very courageous in speaking out about the mismatch between his biological sex and gender identity.

Aaren was born with gender dysphoria - suffering from depression and anxiety because of the difference between his male gender and biological female sex.

He had the courage to explain his situation to his school counsellor and, when he turned 16 on 1st March this year, his dad sent a text around the family asking for them all to treat Aaren as a boy.

Because of Aaren's courage in explaining and publicly coming out about how he felt, another younger pupil at his school can now use the toilets and changing facilities of the opposite sex, and change their identity on the school register and exam papers. Staff have also undergone LGBT training. Aaren hopes other schools in his area will soon do the same.

Aaren also uses social media as a way of communicating his feelings and situation to his friends, talking about the issues he faces on YouTube.