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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Ben Barry & Steven Smith

Ruby's 'growing pains' turned out to be much more serious - then her brother, 10, did something amazing

A 10-year-old boy became a 'superhero' for his sister - saving her life by donating bone marrow. Ruby Cheige, 14, came home from school in April 2022 with leg pain which her parents assumed was down to growing pains.

But the next day, Ruby collapsed and her mum, Debra Cheige, 39, rushed her straight to the hospital. Ruby underwent a blood test which revealed she had leukaemia - cancer of the white blood cells.

Ruby was immediately put on a course of chemotherapy - lasting four months - but it failed to eradicate all the cancer cells and a bone marrow transplant - which replaces the sick person's bone marrow with healthy cells - was her only option. Ruby's brothers, Rio, 10, and Marley, three, were both tested to see if they could donate and three weeks later the family was told Rio was a match.

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