Ruby McKernan, a young girl battling chronic kidney failure, is using her fundraising efforts to bring joy to other children facing similar challenges. Ruby's younger sister, Poppy, was recently diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, adding another layer of hardship to their family. Ruby's GoFundMe campaign aims to purchase sensory items for Poppy's recovery and provide crafts and games for younger patients in the hospital playroom.
When Ruby McKernan was given a devastating diagnosis, her family never imagined their lives would soon take an even darker turn. Ruby was just seven years old when she began experiencing headaches, her parents Gary and Kelly believing she just had migraines. The youngster, from Cheadle Hulme, was referred to hospital where blood tests were carried out, with her later being diagnosed with kidney failure .
With her blood pressure being dangerously high, a decision was then made to remove both of Ruby’s kidneys. And while she received a transplant several years later, the kidney later rejected, meaning Ruby is back on the waiting list again. Yet the family's world was rocked by an even more devastating blow when her younger sister Poppy was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition of her own. Poppy was just 10 years old when she began having headaches and vomiting, her parents fearing history was about to repeat itself. Gary and Kelly took the youngster to a GP where she was diagnosed with asthma – but her health continued to decline. Poppy, now age 12, began struggling to breathe the following day and was rushed to hospital. There, she suffered a cardiac arrest and it's believed her heart stopped beating for a whole 25 minutes. Although the cause of her cardiac arrest is still not known to this day, it’s thought it may have been caused by hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, a chronic condition where the pressure in the arteries is too high. Sadly, Poppy also suffered kidney failure along with brain damage. She can no longer walk or speak. Like her sister, she is now also on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. Gary, who now cares for Poppy alongside working for Network Rail, told the Manchester Evening News: “With Ruby, we were hit hard with kidney failure. “You don’t get a chance to think – you just walk straight into it and we were told about kidney failure not really knowing what it was. “It’s worrying because we didn’t know anyone in that situation. Now we know many people who have been through similar experiences. “Ruby had both kidneys removed and we’ve heard from others who are living without kidneys. “But with Poppy, everything else that’s wrong with her is new to us, and it’s scary. You go through one thing, then you go through it again, but worse – it’s hell.” Gary says Poppy is able to communicate by moving her arms. “She’s doing well in herself; as a 12-year-old, she understands everything she’s told,” the dad-of-two added. “She lifts her arm for ‘yes’ and drops it for ‘no’. She can’t walk and is either in bed or in a chair at home. We lift her around as needed. “In herself, she's still a normal 12-year-old girl.” Almost three years since she was placed on the transplant list, Ruby continues to have kidney dialysis three times a week, each session lasting around four hours. Kidney dialysis is a process that removes excess fluid and waste products from the blood when the kidneys are no longer functioning properly. “By the time she gets home after a six-hour day, she has her GCSE exams while still on dialysis,” Gary added. “After dialysis, she goes straight to bed because she’s just shattered. It’s a tough life for her, but it’s all she can do at the moment.” Ruby is now fundraising to help bring joy and comfort to others going through similar struggles. Through her Gofundme appeal, it’s hoped the cash raised will help provide sensory items to support her sister’s recovery and purchase crafts and games for younger children in the hospital playroom. The fundraiser reads: “Hi everyone, I’m Ruby. I have chronic kidney failure and require dialysis 3-4 times a week, meaning I am on a machine for up to 4-5 hours. My sister is also on dialysis (PD) and needs a transplant. “Having to stay in hospital for any reason can be tough and can be hard on both patients and the parents/carers, so my goal for this GoFundMe is to try and put a smile on their faces. The money that I could receive from this would go towards my sister for sensory items to help with her recovery, or, because I have my dialysis at hospital, it would also go towards buying crafts and extra games for the younger kids, which the playroom doesn’t have. “This will hopefully make their stay a little bit more pleasant. If you could donate anything, that would be massively helpful. Thank you.” To donate, follow the link by clicking here
Kidney Failure Transplant Fundraising Hospital Children Health Chronic Illness
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