Story
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Those rambling for Ruby: Aprille Hall, Carole Rawlinson, Joanna Huggett, Lyn Parker, Lyn Greenfield, Mel Woolgar, Cheryl Atherton, Bally Katnoria, Gillian Reader, Teresa Horvath Plus many more .....
Here is Ruby's story:
At her second birthday party in 2014, Ruby happily enjoyed all the excitement and atmosphere. For Ruby’s parents, Victoria and Rob, and her big brother Freddy this was a special day creating family memories.
Not long after, Victoria and Rob were aware that their daughter’s behaviour had changed. “Ruby became quiet and withdrawn” explains Victoria “Ruby started to refuse food - she was infamous for her huge appetite!”
Ruby’s hardworking parents were enjoying a rare weekend away when they received a telephone call from Ruby’s anxious Grandparents. The local pharmacist had seen Ruby and thought she looked jaundiced.
“Ruby was clingy, unhappy and vomiting,” says Victoria. Ruby’s parents immediately returned home and took their daughter to the local Accident and Emergency department. By this point Ruby had stopped eating completely. She lost so much weight that a worrying growth in her stomach became visible.
Ruby was quickly transferred to St. George’s hospital where a tumour biopsy was the first planned surgical procedure for Ruby. Her blood pressure was so high that the medical team considered it too dangerous to go ahead. Only when Ruby’s blood pressure was under control did the biopsy take place - the results of which left Ruby’s parents shocked and devastated.
Their 2 year old daughter Ruby had stage 4, high risk neuroblastoma – an aggressive childhood cancer “When we found out about Ruby's diagnosis we were in complete shock, it all seemed surreal (and still does) and we were absolutely devastated. We couldn't believe this was happening to our little Ruby,” says Victoria.
As with more than half of children diagnosed with neuroblastoma, the cancer had spread throughout Ruby’s body by the time she was diagnosed, making her condition one of the most difficult kinds of childhood cancer to treat.
“Ruby had a large tumour in her abdomen going up her spine and disease in her bone marrow” says her mother, Victoria. “The tumour was pressing on her internal organs and made her extremely poorly. Her belly was swelling up and pushing on her lungs. She could hardly breathe and needed oxygen."
Victoria describes Ruby as “a very brave 2-year-old who loves babies, drawing, playing with her brother’s toys and eating cheese!”
Thank you.