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Family and friends of a very sick little girl reached the £150,000 milestone this week as fundraisers continue to work hard to save the life of Ruby Young.
The two-year-old has finished her latest round of chemotherapy and is now having a number of scans to see if the aggressive cancer neuroblastoma has gone from within her bone marrow.
The toddler was put on a higher dose of the drug after her last round failed to shrink the tumour which had wrapped itself around her kidneys.
Mum and dad Vikki and Rob now have to wait to see if the treatment has worked so it can be removed by operation.
Vikki, of Monmouth Close, Rainham, said: “I’ll be pacing the floor this week. We won’t find out anything until next Friday.
“We’re just trying to stay positive and are hoping more than anything Ruby will be well enough to keep going with the treatment. If it hasn’t worked, I don’t know what happens, but I know it’s not good.”
Ruby needs £500,000 for life-saving treatment in America because the NHS will only offer treatment up to a certain point and then palliative care becomes the only choice.
A Valentine’s Day flash mob will be at Hempstead Valley tomorrow (Saturday) to surprise shoppers at an undisclosed time.
Last weekend, a group of people from Kent Express Dental Supplies in Centurion Close, Gillingham, walked 10 miles from Medway hospital to Sittingbourne and raised £1,249.
One of the walkers, Graham Wilson, said: “Ruby is a lovely little girl who has touched all of our hearts.
“Her brother Freddy attends the same school as my partner’s little boy and I have wanted to do as much as I can to help her.”
Another £700 was raised at a charity boxing tournament between Kent Police officers at Wonderland in Barker Road, Maidstone.
Geordie Shore star Jay also tweeted a video in which he says, “I’m supporting Ruby Young” and encourages his 830,000 followers to do the same.
A bootfair and fundraiser is being held at Tunbury Hall in Catkin Close, Walderslade, on Saturday, between 10am and 1pm.
To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/RubyYoungJourney or text RLYJ88 and the amount you wish to give to 70070.