On the day Ruby was born, her mom Roxey got a fateful call. Roxey and her brother both grew their families through adoption – he had 6 children and she had 5. A couple of years earlier Roxey’s brother adopted a little boy named Levi, completing his family. When Levi’s biological mother gave birth again, the adoption agency reached out to him to see if he had room for one more child. His family was complete, but he asked his sister Roxey if she was open to growing her family. On Ruby’s fourth day of life, she went home with her new parents and siblings.
The next life-changing moment happened on Ruby’s one-week birthday. Roxey and her husband learned that their baby girl had Sickle Cell Disease and would face many health challenges.
By the age of three, Ruby had been admitted to the hospital 24 times and had three surgeries. She faced sepsis, pneumonia, and issues with her spleen. Finally, she was referred for transplant and her doctors began the process of finding a potential match. Her parents are hoping they can finally bring an end to her suffering and find the best match possible to cure her disease.
Today, Ruby’s a fun, loving, silly 5-year-old (almost 6!). She loves to make videos and record herself playing with her toys. But Ruby has her challenges too. Living with sickle cell disease, she’s already been to the hospital 34 times, endured five surgeries, 14 blood transfusions and countless ER visits.
Recently her most challenging obstacle is just trying to go to school as a normal Kindergartener. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t working out and she wants to homeschool. From getting Covid and being out for 9 days and then going back for 3 days and getting yet another virus. It was just too much for Ruby to handle without being completely fatigued and exhausted.
“Finding a donor for Ruby would be life-changing for her—a miracle,” Ruby’s mom, Rebbekah shared.
Only 29% of Black and African American patients will find a match.
By fundraising for Be The Match, you help raise essential funds to add more potential life-saving marrow donors to the Be The Match Registry®, so patients like Ruby can find their match—and their cure.
