A 12-year-old girl from Derby who has battled cancer and cyclic vomiting syndrome is campaigning for better hospital food quality through a petition. Audrina describes meals as tasteless and lacking essential nutrients needed during recovery. She aims to gather enough signatures—currently over 500, needing up to 100,000—to bring the issue before Parliament. Her campaign includes an Instagram series showcasing healthy, affordable meals and suggests hospitals use locally-sourced produce and grow their own fruits and vegetables for fresher options. The Department for Health and Social Care has welcomed her ideas, and a local MP is supporting her efforts to speak with ministers about hospital food improvements.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-03,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A 12-year-old girl from Derby, who previously battled cancer and currently deals with cyclic vomiting syndrome, has launched a petition demanding better hospital food for patients. Despite receiving excellent medical care during her treatments, Audrina is disappointed by the tasteless and nutritionally deficient meals she's been served in hospitals. She argues that patients need proper vitamins, minerals, and proteins to aid their recovery. The Department for Health and Social Care welcomed Audrina’s campaign, indicating a willingness to consider ideas from campaigners like her to improve hospital food quality. Through social media platforms such as Instagram, Audrina plans to show examples of healthy yet tasty meals hospitals can serve without additional costs.
Written for “Child Advocates Healthier Food” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
A 12-year-old girl who spent time in hospital battling an aggressive form of cancer has launched a petition calling for improvements to the food dished up to patients.
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who → publish → patients
Audrina, from Derby, said despite receiving excellent care from doctors and nurses during her treatment, the food she was served often left her disappointed.
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she → say → her
She described the meals as tasteless and lacking in important nutrients she believes patients need while recovering.
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patients → describe → nutrients
Now she is urging the UK government to take action to raise standards.
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she → urge → standards
The Department for Health and Social Care said it welcomed ideas from campaigners like Audrina on how hospital food can be improved.
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food → say → Audrina
Audrina was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2018 but is now cancer-free after completing her treatment.
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Audrina → diagnose → treatment
However, despite being given the all-clear at the age of five, she has spent further time in hospital with another condition, cyclic vomiting syndrome.
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she → give → condition
In this time, she says she feels hospital meals have not improved.
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meals → say → time
"The food is often lacking nutrition and it's important that patients have something to look forward to when they're going through a really tough time," she said.
"If you don't have the vitamins, minerals and proteins your body needs, it's going to slow your recovery down.
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it → lack → recovery
I remember having a shepherd's pie and the mash was brown and burnt - and it was just served in the plastic pot it had been microwaved in."
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it → remember → pot
Her mother, Gemma, says Audrina has always hated hospital food and is determined to bring about change.
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Audrina → say → change
"We're just over 500 signatures but she's got to get to 100,000 [to be considered for Parliamentary debate] so there's a really long way to go yet," she said.
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she → get → debate
Audrina has also launched a new series on Instagram called £1 meals.
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Gemma said: "She's going to be showing examples of meals which are healthy and tasty as well, so that hospitals can see they don't necessarily need to spend more money to get decent food."
Audrina hopes the videos will help with her campaign.
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videos → say → campaign
It's alright saying you can do this, but sometimes you need the proof.
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you → say → proof
This will achieve that proof and that evidence," she said.
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she → achieve → proof
Audrina believes hospitals could make better use of locally-sourced produce and community support.
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hospitals → believe → produce
She has also suggested growing fruit and vegetables at hospital sites as one possible way of providing fresher food.
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The petition has grabbed the attention of Jonathan Davies, Labour MP for Mid Derbyshire, who said he found out about it while knocking on his constituents' doors.
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he → grab → doors
"I was really inspired by Audrina's energy and enthusiasm, informed by her personal experience of spending quite long period's of time in hospital," he said.
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he → inspire → hospital
"I said I'd get behind her campaign and make sure ministers heard what she had to say."
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she → say → what
Audrina has already visited the Houses of Parliament as part of her work and is hoping Davies can help her speak to the prime minster about the campaign.
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her → visit → campaign
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We want every hospital patient to receive food that is appetising and supports their recovery.
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that → say → recovery
"Hospital food in England is already subject to national standards, covering nutrition, safety and quality and we welcome ideas from campaigners like Audrina on how hospital food - especially for young people - can be improved.
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food → cover → people
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