Grace Rose

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What blew us away: Her bravery and fearless pursuit of life in the face of cystic fibrosis and her efforts to raise money for research. Also her fun, infectious spirit.

The specifics: With fashion shows, events and her clothing line “Rosie G” (which she kicked off at the age of 10), Grace Rose has helped raise over $300,000 for cystic fibrosis research. Last year she partnered with TOMS here in LA to host a fundraising event.

What she’s most proud of: “I’m still here. I have surpassed the age they thought I’d live to. CF is a life-threatening disease that attacks your internal organs. I take 45 pills a day and give myself several lung treatments each day. I wear a vest, and it is plugged into a machine that breaks up mucus in the lungs. And I’ve had several surgeries.”

Her secret weapon: “My drive. It carries me through everything I want to do in life. I’m not lucky to be here—I worked for it.”

Who inspires her: “My mom. She raised me by herself. That in itself is pretty incredible. She taught me how to give myself pills and do my own lung treatments. And whenever I’m scared, she reassures me.”

Where she’s headed: “I’d like to be on Broadway in a musical someday. I’d also like to be a second-grade teacher and have a comedic talk show. And I’ll always be running my clothing line.”