Family Scored Fundraising Goal

A family from Burton on Trent who organised a special charity football match have raised over £3,000 for us, leaving a legacy for their little girl, who passed away last year after a determined battle with Leukaemia.

Dad and footie coach, Dan Brown, and his family put on the game at Ashby Ivanhoe FC, to raise vital funds for our hospital, where his 18-month-old daughter, Ruby, was cared for after receiving her devastating diagnosis.

After noticing Ruby wasn’t her happy and bubbly self, Dan and Ruby’s mum, Aaliyah, turned to their GP for answers but her symptoms were put down to teething and a positive covid test. However, after Ruby began vomiting blood her parents took her to their local A&E, where a finger prick blood test, which immediately bruised her finger triggered further tests which showed indicators for leukaemia – a type of blood cancer.

Within 24-hours, Ruby was transferred to our hospital and sadly, her diagnosis was confirmed. Less than two-weeks later, Ruby was admitted to our oncology ward, had undergone a procedure to fit central lines to administer medication and was receiving her first round of chemotherapy alongside blood transfusions.

Ruby took her treatment in her stride – she continued laughing and playing, especially with her blow up football, and Dan, Aaliyah and all her close family, who visited everyday, found it hard to believe such a happy child could be so poorly.

Four months later, Ruby underwent a Stem Cell Transplant that still didn’t knock her spirits and after a biopsy of Ruby’s bone marrow showed that she was in remission, Ruby rang the end of treatment bell and was allowed to return home but visited our hospital twice a week for outpatient appointments to check her progress.

Two weeks later, tests showed Ruby’s leukaemia was back and her consultants broke the news that this time it would be harder to treat. Ruby underwent more rounds of chemotherapy to reduce the cancer cells enough that she would be eligible for a treatment trial held at a hospital in London.

The trial seemed to be going well with tests showing improvements after one week but the next week the news was very different and doctors explained that there was nothing more they could do. Broken, the family returned to our hospital where Ruby was admitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care unit after a sudden diagnosis of sepsis. Ruby fought on and just over a week later she was allowed home to be with her family and make precious memories. Two days later, Ruby tragically passed away surrounded by all her family.

Almost one year later, the Brown family decided it was their time to do something special in Ruby’s memory and to raise funds for us as a thank you for the care she received. For Dan, who coaches teams at Ashby Ivanhoe FC, and who passed his love of the game onto his daughter, it made sense to host his own match in honour of Ruby.

Dan reached out to his friends and family and pulled together two teams of 18 players – Rubes Athletic and Ruby Doo United – who were expertly managed by Grandma Sally and Ruby’s Auntie Nicola. They even had their own kit designs, featuring Ruby’s favourite animals, ducks and dinosaurs, which were kindly sponsored by local businesses.

Dan said “Losing Ruby broke us but we won’t ever forget the doctors and nurses who did as much as they could for her, and just as much for us as a family, so we wanted to give back with our football match.

“It really was a whole family effort to pull it together, and we can’t thank everyone who sponsored, donated and came to take part and support enough – everyone really was so generous. It was such a fantastic day and even though our team of friends beat our family team by two goals, we weren’t bitter because it was all for our beautiful, brave and courageous Ruby.”

Annie Eytle, Head of Public Fundraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We’re so grateful to the Brown family and their friends for supporting our hospital at such an incredibly difficult time in their lives.

“The phenomenal funds they raised through their charity football match will leave a legacy for Ruby, helping us to continue supporting other brave patients and their families.”