VALENTINE’S Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate our incredible Pride of Scotland winners – the unsung heroes who spread love wherever they go.
Big-hearted warriors like little Mila Sneddon who won the hearts of the nation and the Princess of Wales during her brave battle with leukaemia.
The nine-year-old from Stenhousemuir, near Falkirk, went viral during lockdown thanks to a picture of her kissing her dad, Scott, through a window after he’d moved out to work while she had chemotherapy.
The image from March 2020 was seen by Kate who ended up meeting and staying in touch with Mila, who made a get well card for the Princess and told her “to be brave and fight it like I did” after she was diagnosed with cancer last year.
Mila was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in November 2019, aged four. During the pandemic, her parents decided the best way to keep her safe was by not taking risks and self-isolating in different houses.
Primary five pupil Mila went into remission in March 2022 and endured more than 900 procedures over two-and-a-half years.
During a Zoom call ahead of their first get-together, she asked the princess if she would wear a pink dress when they were able to meet.
Kate kept her word and appeared in fuchsia at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh in May 2021.
The princess, who asked a butler to serve Mila a bowl of cereal when she said she was hungry, then invited her to read aloud a prayer at her Together At Christmas Concert in Westminster Abbey in December that year.
In 2021, Mila, who along with the rest of her family has helped raise thousands of pounds for Blood Cancer, was awarded the Child Of Courage award at the Daily Record and Sunday Mail’s Pride of Scotland awards.
The big-hearted schoolgirl is one of a host of heroes to have been honoured at our awards and today we celebrate them all and encourage Scotland to get their nominations in for our 2025 People’s Oscars.
Do you know someone as inspirational as little Mila or as awe-inspiring as firefighter John Aitchison who set up the first Fire & Rescue Service on Everest?
Perhaps you know someone like Jean Cummings who set up counselling service Crisis or Stevie Carr who helped rescue 56 orphans from war ravaged Ukraine?
HOW TO NOMINATE
YOU can nominate an unsung hero for a Pride of Scotland Award with P&O Cruises, at www.prideofscotland.org
The closing date is Sunday, March 16, 2025.
P&O CRUISES INSPIRATION AWARD – Celebrating a remarkable individual or group who inspire everyone around them, or the wider world, with their positive spirit and awe-inspiring journey to achieve, or overcome adversity. They may deserve recognition for an extraordinary reaction to a defining or pivotal moment, or perhaps their actions have had an extraordinary impact.
OUTSTANDING BRAVERY – For adults who risk their own safety to help others in danger.
CHILD/TEENAGER OF COURAGE – For battling against the odds to help others or putting themselves at risk to save lives.
YOUNG FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR – To reward a person aged 16 or under for inspirational charity work.
EMERGENCY SERVICES AWARD – For police, fire, ambulance, paramedics or air, sea or mountain rescue who have gone beyond the call of duty to help others.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT – To recognise far-reaching achievement, possibly on a national or international scale.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION – For achievements not covered in other categories, such as inspiring carers, campaigners and members of the Armed Forces.
