Ruby might be the baby of her family with three big brothers, but she’s a strong, determined little girl. So, when her mum and dad noticed she’d been a

bit flat last year, they headed to the doctors to check if she was OK.

“She’d been so pale and tired, we were just thinking maybe she was low in iron,” her dad Edward said. The family’s GP ran some blood tests and the results came back that day. But nothing could have prepared the family for what followed.

The family were told the diagnosis was much more serious. Four-year-old Ruby had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

Ruby’s routine of fun and play was replaced with round after round of chemotherapy. Ruby’s had over 550 medical procedures in the last year in hospital and she had to take between 22-25 tablets every day for over six months.

The impact on family life was immense. Ruby’s mum Stephanie had to stop working whilst dad, Edward changed his working arrangement to make sure he could be in hospital when needed. It was also hard on Ruby’s brothers Tommy, 8, Will, 10 and Max, 11. The siblings are really close and the boys dote on Ruby.

Nearly a quarter of Ruby’s life has been spent in hospital but some of the family’s happiest moments have been with Captain Starlight.

For more information visit starlight.org.au or call 1300 727 827

The Starlight Express Room gave Ruby’s brothers a place to have fun too. Stephanie smiles as she recalls seeing them so happy and said it was such a special time for them to be together as a family against the backdrop of Ruby being so ill.

Stephanie said the Captain Starlights made Ruby feel special (naming her Captain Ruby!) and were the best distraction she could ever wish for. They would visit Ruby every day when she was too sick to come to the Starlight Express Room and make her laugh and smile before or after each operation.

To Starlight supporters, Edward says: “Thank you for your generosity. Starlight just makes the world so much brighter and so much clearer. Every donation is a step towards making another little child smile.”

RUBY’S STORY

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We love everything Starlight has done for our family in making these life-changing memories,” Edward said.