A family's world was "turned upside down" when a teenager's leg pain led to a devastating diagnosis.
Ruby Chiege, 13, began complaining of the pain on April 20 this year, but her mum Debra, assumed it was just growing pains. Less than 24 hours later, when paracetamol failed to ease Ruby's symptoms, Debra dialled 111 and was advised to take her to A&E.
After arriving at hospital, the 13-year-old underwent X-rays which appeared to show nothing of concern. Ruby, from Salford, was told to go home and continue taking painkillers.
READ MORE: Mum lived in hospital for six months and told to 'say goodbye' to baby
However, when the teenager fainted in her room the following day, Debra knew something was seriously wrong. The family returned to hospital where Ruby was given blood tests which revealed she had leukaemia.
Debra, 38, told the Manchester Evening News : “There was a long wait for an ambulance so her grandma took us back to hospital. They did bloods and that’s when we found out it was leukaemia.
"They said they needed a second opinion and were going to send us to Manchester Children’s Hospital. I had heard of leukaemia, but I had never read up on it. I said, ‘What’s leukaemia? You’ve got the wrong child here’.
"I just sank. Whatever they said to me wasn’t sinking in. I just couldn’t lose my daughter – cancer is cancer. The big C.”
Ruby remained in hospital for chemotherapy treatment for four months before being allowed home last week, however the chemotherapy has not destroyed all of the leukaemia cells and the cancer still remains.
Doctors now hope a bone marrow transplant can treat her leukaemia and her nine-year-old brother, Rio, has stepped up to help save her life. Mum-of-four Debra, said: “We sat him down and said, ‘Ruby needs this and you’re a match.
"He said he wanted to do it, he wanted to be a superhero for his sister. The bone marrow transplant started on September 22. It’s turned our lives upside down. I have three other kids at home and I haven’t seen much of them over the period of what Ruby has been going through. I’m on sick leave at work and I have bills and all sorts catching up.
“Because she’s 13 I thought it could have been normal growing pains because she’s tall. I never thought that three months down the line she would be suffering from leukaemia.”
Debra has also chosen to have one of Ruby’s ovaries frozen as her cancer treatment may have affected her fertility. She said: “She has to have one of her ovaries frozen; it’s being sent to Oxford because the next round of chemotherapy will destroy her ovaries. When she’s old enough, it’s there if she wants children."
A fundraiser has now been set up to help the family through this difficult time. To donate, click here .
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