Young Girl Beats Cancer Thanks to Sister’s Lifesaving Donation

Quick Smiles:

• A young girl in the U.K., Ruby Leaning, is now cancer-free thanks to her younger sister’s bone marrow donation.
• Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2020, Ruby’s life was saved by her then 2-year-old sister, Mabel, who was a “perfect match.”
• Their grandmother, Amanda Fawcett, is raising funds for the Parents Association of Children with Tumors and Leukemia (PACT), which supported the family during this challenging time.

In a heartwarming story, a young girl in the U.K. has triumphed over cancer, all thanks to her little sister’s lifesaving bone marrow donation. Ruby Leaning, a lively 10-year-old, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia after a sudden collapse on her school playground in January 2020.

This rare blood cancer necessitated an urgent bone marrow transplant to keep the young girl alive.

In a twist of fate, Ruby’s then 2-year-old sister, Mabel Leaning, was identified as a “perfect match” after several tests. The Leaning sisters’ grandmother, Amanda Fawcett, confirmed that Ruby received treatment with Mabel’s stem cells.

In 2022, Ruby was declared cancer-free, a victory that Fawcett attributes to Mabel, stating that Mabel “saved Ruby’s life for sure.”

“She’s a happy, normal and healthy 10-year-old who loves swimming, dancing and piano lessons.”

“We [weren’t] expecting her to be a match at first, but thankfully she was, so we just couldn’t believe our luck,” she said.

“It was amazing – we were so thankful.”

Fawcett vividly remembers the moment her granddaughter was diagnosed with cancer.

“It’s just every parent and grandparent’s nightmare,” she said.

“I was in the room with her mom when we found out, and you just can’t take anything in at all. It was all just heart-shattering.”

Despite the initial shock and fear, Fawcett is proud of her granddaughters, describing them as “so close” and “amazing girls.”

“They’ve got a great relationship between them,” she said.

“But Mabel will be asking to borrow Ruby’s shoes when she realizes [she saved her life] – and we do laugh about how it will be fun and games.”

Fawcett shared that Ruby has been “doing fantastic” in remission and is “back to her normal self.”

“She’s a happy, normal and healthy 10-year-old who loves swimming, dancing and piano lessons,” she said.

In the spirit of giving back, the grandmother is currently raising money for the Parents Association of Children with Tumors and Leukemia (PACT), which provided invaluable support to the Leaning family during their ordeal.

“None of us could be there for Ruby, which was horrendous for us, because of the pandemic,” Fawcett shared.

“But they were an amazing support.”

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