The family and friends of a Herne Hill girl who died tragically young of leukaemia have raised a whopping £290,000 for possible life-saving research, writes Niall Holden…
Ruby Fuller died in 2020 of leukaemia, aged just eighteen. The former Charter School North Dulwich head girl was dedicated to fighting injustice in all forms and wanted some of her savings to go towards research, her family said.
Her mother Emma Jones and Dylan Fuller launched Ruby’s ‘Live Kindly, Live Loudly’ fund to act as a lasting legacy for their precious daughter, with challenges like wing walks, cycle rides, sky dives, comedy nights and cook-alongs taking place after she passed away.
The fund has raised over £290,000 for CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, contributing towards five research projects and better treatment for childhood leukaemia.
In 2019, Ruby was diagnosed with a rare type of lymphoma, and within a year, the cancer transformed into leukaemia. During that time, she spent over 200 nights in the hospital, enduring intensive treatments.
Ruby death in May 2020 was even more heart-breaking for her family as they had to say goodbye on Zoom due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
Emma said: “Hearing that there simply aren’t effective treatments yet made it very clear to us that if anything is going to change, it has to start with research.
“Setting up Ruby’s fund felt like a way to turn our heartbreak into something hopeful – something that could improve outcomes for other young people in the future.”
She adds: “Supporting bold, innovative research like this feels like exactly the kind of legacy Ruby would have wanted.”
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Since its inception, the fund has raised over £290,000, contributing towards new research projects exploring better treatment for children with leukaemia, no plans to stop there.
Future fundraisers, involving a challenge to visit all 272 tube stations in London as quickly as possible and an auction to commemorate what would have been Ruby’s 25th birthday in October, are already in the pipeline.
Vicki Brunt, head of fundraising at CCLG, said: “Ruby’s family and supporters have achieved an extraordinary amount in such a short time, and we are incredibly grateful for everything they’ve done.
“Their dedication is enabling vital work that could lead to kinder, more effective treatments for young people diagnosed with blood cancer.”
To support Ruby’s ‘Live Kindly, Live Loudly’ Fund auction please visit specialnamedfunds.cclg.org.uk/rubys-live-kindly-live-loudly-fund
To donate contact: [email protected]
Dr Maarten Hoogenkamp and Dr Vesna Stanulovic
