Brave Ruby, 9, ready to face more life saving surgery

THE family of a nine-year-old girl born with a rare heart defect have been told she needs a third life-saving operation.
Ruby with mum Natalie and brother Ethan.Ruby with mum Natalie and brother Ethan.
Ruby with mum Natalie and brother Ethan.

Ruby Varley from Kippax was born with a large hole in her heart and a blocked pulmonary artery and underwent her first heart surgery at four-weeks-old and a second operation at 16 months.

Now surgeons at Leeds Children’s Hospital have told Ruby’s family she must undergo a third operation to replace the pulmonary artery, which she has outgrown.

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Ruby, a pupil at Ashtree Primary School Kippax, will have to undergo surgery to replace the artery throughout her life.

Ruby met Justin Bieber.Ruby met Justin Bieber.
Ruby met Justin Bieber.

Make-A-Wish UK made Ruby’s dreams come true in June 2017 when they flew Ruby and her family to Switzerland to see Justin Bieber in concert and meet him backstage.

The moment Ruby met her hero was also caught on video.

Ruby’s mother Natalie Varley, 40, said: “He was lovely, he was really kind. He signed some stuff for her and took selfies with her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Ruby is a massive Justin Bieber fan and can’t wait for his new album to come out.

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“We still talk about the trip to Switzerland to see him. They are nice memories for Ruby.

“When she goes into hospital they will be the things when she is upset that we will talk about as a distraction.”

Mrs Varley said: “Ruby gets tired easily and struggles with activity because she has outgrown the pulmonary artery they made for her and put in during the second operation.

“We were expecting it (the third operation) because she has been tired for a while now and we just want to get on with it.” Ruby was due to go on holiday to Spain later this month with mum Natalie, dad Alex, 39, and her five-year-old brother Ethan. But the family has had to cancel the holiday.

Mrs Varley said: “We have put our lives on hold for a while now so it will be good to get it over and done with.”