The Incredible Galway Girl
Toy Show Story
Saoirse Ruane stole the nation’s heart when she appeared with her mother, Roseanna on the Late Late Toy Show last year. Diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at 7, she endured chemotherapy and, tragically, the amputation of her right leg. Arlene Harris caught up with the Galway native.
Two years after her battle with a rare form on cancer, Saoírse Ruane was cheerful, sweet, and happy as she answered host Ryan Tubridy’s questions on last year’s Late Late Toy Show. She was thrilled to here the news that she and her family were the recipients of a courtesy trip to Disney World, they could take when the ‘world gets back to normal’.
Living in Kiltullagh, Athenry, Saoirse had been a healthy child until she began to experience a recurring pain in her leg.
“Saoírse had always been a happy and affectionate girl who loved to sing, dance and play music,” says mum, Roseanna. “She also loved playing camogie. But in December 2019, she started to complain of having discomfort in her ankle, so we took her to the GP.”
The little girl was sent for an x-ray and a day of tests in University College Hospital Galway.
“We began to suspect that something was wrong but didn’t realise just how much our lives were going to change,” says her mother. “We were told that she had to be transferred to Crumlin for a biopsy. This identified a malignant and aggressive tumour in her tibia, and she was diagnosed with a rare life-threatening cancer called osteosarcoma in December 2019.”
Saoírse began chemotherapy immediately and continued on an intense course of treatment for ten months. Meanwhile her parents, Roseanna and Ollie, began to research the options open to her, desperately searching for a cure.
Saoírse with mum, Roseanna
“We looked into all of our options and even got a second opinion from a hospital in Massachusetts, USA,” says Roseanna, who also has another daughter, Farrah-Rose (2). “But everyone seemed to be of the same opinion - that limb sparing surgery would not work for Saoírse. Unfortunately in March 2020, she had her right leg amputated.
“Understandably, this was devastating news – she had not only been diagnosed with a life-threatening tumour, but then was also told that she had to lose a limb at such a young age. It had a huge effect on Ollie and I also, because all any parent wants to do is protect their child.
“But over time, we learned to deal with it and, throughout it all, Saoírse’s positivity has been a huge strength to us all.”
The Galway girl received her first prosthetic in November 2020 and has been attending rehab and physio on a regular basis ever since. Last year, a GoFundMe page was set up to give her access to new prosthetics as she will require a new one every six to 12 months until she stops growing, which could be at any stage between the age of 12 and 16. She will also require further prostheses as an adult. The family hoped that the funds raised would cover these requirements. If the target was reached, they would donate any extra funds to the charities which helped make the difficult journey easier for them. These include St John’s Ward at our Lady’s Hospital in Crumlin, The Irish Cancer Society, Aoibheann’s Pink Tie, Hand in Hand West, and the paediatric oncology ward in UCH Galway.
When she appeared on the Late Late Show, and several radio shows, including the Ryan Tubridy Show on RTÉ Radio 1, she received a lot of appreciation from both the host and viewers.
“We raised money for Saoírse in order for her to be able to access prosthetics until she turns 18,” says Roseanna. “As a growing child, she will require a number of prosthetics each year. As part of the fundraising, we set up the online concert, Saoírse's Summerfest, which was held on the August Bank Holiday weekend - Kodaline headlined and we had some incredible acts.
“Amazingly she reached her target in June 2020. As a family, we decided to give the surplus funds back to those who helped us along the way. And since we appeared on the Toy Show, she has received so many lovely cards, letters, gifts and messages of love from people in Ireland and abroad. Ryan Tubridy was so impressed by her and her fundraising that he made her part of the first ever Toy Show appeal. This was the biggest thank-you she could ever have received.
“He said that her act of kindness had inspired him. Together they launched the appeal which saw an amazing €6.2 million raised in a matter of days. She also got a letter from the Taoiseach, who wanted to tell her how proud he is of her. He said: ‘Your generous example, thinking of other sick children when distributing the surplus money you raised, has had a magical effect’.
“She also has a lovely following on our social media pages where people follow her progress and love to see her singing songs and hear what she is up to during lockdown.”
No doubt, like every child in the country, Saoirse, is looking forward to a time when the restrictions have ended, and life gets back to some sort of normality.
“She never complains about being in lockdown and is very grateful for the simple things in life, but her main ambition at the moment is to return to school to see all her friends,” says Roseanna. “When she is older, she would like to be an artist, a pop star and own her own coffee shop. But for the moment, she loves art and crafts, playing the harp, singing, and playing outside. She is also obsessed with huskies and brings Slush, her huskie teddy, everywhere.”
Saoírse’s treatment is ongoing and she continues to attend rehab in Ottobock Ireland, which is located at Cappagh Hospital in Dublin. She also has physio sessions via Zoom, which her dad helps her with on a daily basis.
Roseanna says that while the initial diagnosis was heart-breaking, the family has learned to deal with it. She reassures others who may be experiencing something similar, that it does get easier to bear over time.
“It is hard to advise anyone as cancer is such a devastating blow and has such an impact on your life,” she says. “Initially you feel like you don't have the strength to deal with it. But, believe me, the strength comes from somewhere. Tt does take time to come to terms with something so heart breaking, but over time you learn to deal with the diagnosis.
“There is a lot of love and support out there. We feel so unbelievably blessed to have Saoírse in our lives.”
To follow Saoirse’s story on Instagram visit @saoirseandmamma