Meet our Girlhood Grant Winner
We’re excited to introduce our Spring Girlhood Grant Winner - A £250 micro-grant awarded to young Black girls interested in pursuing creative ideas that positively impact other girls.
Meet Roshana Daley-Burke - A young Black girl who shares her story of entrepreneurship following a Scoliosis diagnosis. Join us as she navigates her recovery from spinal surgery while developing and scaling her Scoliosishood project.
Photograph Credit: Roshana Daley-Burke
Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
I'm a 14-year-old from North London, half Jamaican and half Barbadian, who has a lifelong disability called Scoliosis. This means I have a curve in my spine which resulted in me having to have my spine fused. Despite my condition, I am a creative, headstrong, enthusiastic young black girl who sees the world as her oyster.
What was your experience like growing up in Islington?
Growing up in Islington has been enjoyable for me. My community is very supportive, inclusive, and diverse. I have a good friend support network and go to a great school.
Roshana Daley-Burke
How has your life changed since learning about your Scoliosis condition?
Scoliosis changed my life in many ways, and having to come to the realisation that I am not the normal average 14 years old has been very hard to accept. I don't attend school as a result of my condition and so I’m now trying to adapt to home schooling life. I can't really socialise as I would like because my condition makes me extremely tired. However, on the upside, I have been able to learn more about this condition.
“I meet many different people from all over the world and support them in ways that I wasn't when I first found out about Scoliosis.”
Tell us about your creative idea and how you used the grant.
My creative idea came from my diagnosis and the impact it had on me and others with the same condition. I realised that as a community, there was not much awareness or support for teenagers and adults that are diagnosed with Scoliosis. From there, I wanted to make a change and make sure no one else felt alone in this time of need.
With the grant, I was able to design leaflets that highlight the condition and suggest people get checked sooner rather than later; and then distribute the leaflets in hospitals, GPs, clinics, and schools. My next goal is to create group chats for people to support each other through these times; a website highlighting more on the condition; and care packages for people who are undergoing surgery or have had surgery to bring some positivity and offer support.
Photographer Credit: Roshana Daley-Burke
What motivated you to want to create information leaflets and care packages?
My motivation to create care packages and leaflets came from speaking to other people with Scoliosis as well as my own diagnosis and what I faced along the way. There was not much information out there about Scoliosis, and others as well as myself felt very isolated with no one to really support us through this challenge. So with all the research and feedback I got I decided to raise awareness myself by creating leaflets to explain what the condition is and to get checked as soon as possible and highlight symptoms.
“I also made the care packages so that people could be prepared for surgery and have something to look forward to after as the time can be very scary and overwhelming and little things in my care packages could make a difference to others.”
Photographer Credit: Hannah Faith Oni
Where would you like to see yourself and Scoliosishood in the next 5 years?
In the next 5 years, I would like to see Scoliosis talked more about across the world and to ensure that teenagers are checked for Scoliosis routinely. I would like to have raised enough funding to continue disturbing care packages worldwide, give talks in schools, and write a book highlighting my Scoliosis journey.
“ Additionally, I’d like to be back in school, managing my lifelong pain, getting back into sports.”
Thanks so much to Roshana for taking the time to share her inspirational journey as a Girlhood Grant Winner. To access the Digital Girlhood Platform and apply for the Girlhood Grant Fund, click HERE today!
To connect with Roshana, learn more about and donate to Scoliosishood, click the links below.
Instagram: Roshana Daley-Burke
Youtube: Roshana Daley-Burke
Website: Roshana Daley-Burke
GoFundMe: Roshana Daley-Burke
