A Worcestershire-based mum has been crowned this week’s Charity Champion after raising over £2,000 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.

Inspired by the care her 11-year-old son, Noah, receives at the hospital, Ruby, 45, turned to fundraising as a way of saying thank you.

Aged just one, Noah was diagnosed with a rare blood condition called Platelet Function Disorder which affects the clotting ability of his blood. This means that Noah’s platelets don’t work properly and he can bleed more than normal, something which can vary from minor bruising to serious, and life threatening bleeding after surgery or an accident.

Ruby said: “We have spent so much time at Birmingham Children’s Hospital over the past 10 years and the care Noah has received has been nothing short of incredible - the haemophilia nurses and Dr Jayashree Motwani in particular are truly life-savers!”

Determined to give something back to the hospital, Ruby founded Funny Blood to help raise awareness for blood conditions including her son’s Platelet Function Disorder. Since then, Ruby has become a parent voice for various charities, taken part in lectures at the University of Worcester, visited 10 Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament and appeared on BBC Breakfast TV.  

But Ruby didn’t stop there. Taking part in car boots, cake sales, charity runs and cycles amongst other activities, Ruby, through a decade of fundraising via Funny Blood, has been able to help charities close to her heart.

Thanks to her incredible efforts, she has donated more than £2,000 since 2013 to the Haemophilia Unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital where Noah is cared for.

Ruby added: “I am so grateful to everyone at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the support from the team on the Haemophilia Unit. This is my way of giving something back to the hospital that continues to help my son.

“I am so proud of Noah and how well he is doing – he is a little superstar!”

Serena Daw, Public Fundraising Manager at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital Charity, added: “We’re so thankful to Ruby for her on-going support for our charity and for raising an amazing £2,400 for us over the last four years. The money she has raised will go directly to the Haemophilia Unit.

“We’re so glad to hear that Noah is doing well and we wish him, Ruby and their family all of the best for the future.” 

For more information on Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity visit www.bch.org.uk, email [email protected] or call 0121 333 8506.