A tree planted in memory of a Perthshire girl who died from cancer aged six has been vandalised.
Ruby Stewart, from Inchture, passed away in 2020 – three years after she was diagnosed with rare tissue cancer rhabdomyosarcoma.
A tree was planted by her family opposite Inchture Parish Church on Moncur Road – where a celebration of Ruby’s life was held – shortly after her death.
But when parents Claire and Andy visited the site on Saturday, they discovered that the top of the tree had been deliberately snapped off by someone.
Incident during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Claire told The Courier that the timing of the incident – which comes during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – makes it even more upsetting.
She has now shared pictures of the damage online in hopes it will help prevent something similar from happening to anyone else.
One image taken last week shows the plant growing healthily, while a photo taken on Saturday shows that a branch has been broken off.
Writing in a local community Facebook group, Claire said: “When our daughter Ruby died, age six, in 2020, we were gifted a young cherry tree to plant in her memory.
“It has been growing, thriving, opposite the church where we celebrated her life.
“It appears that within the last week, someone has snapped the top of the tree off.
“The photo on the left was taken on September 3. The photos on the right were taken today.
“We don’t want to know who did this, or why.
“There is probably no explanation as to why.”
‘We hope to prevent this happening again’
She added: “We know that Ruby would forgive whoever did this. The tree will continue to grow.
“We are grateful that nothing else was damaged or disturbed.
“We are sharing this for awareness and in the hope that it might prevent something similar from happening again, to anyone.
“Peace and unicorns.”
Ruby was diagnosed with stage four alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma in September 2017 at the age of four.
The only sign that there was something wrong with Ruby prior to her diagnosis was subtle swelling in her left ankle.
Scans revealed metastases, a secondary growth a distance away from a primary site of cancer, in her spine, pelvic area and lungs.
Within weeks she was unable to walk or stand due to the tumour on her back impeding her spinal cord.
She immediately started intensive chemotherapy, which successfully melted away the tumours.
But a few months later, in February 2019, she complained of a sore back. Scans revealed she had relapsed.
The cancer had only returned in the areas previously treated with intense radiotherapy, leaving only one option – manage the disease and prolong Ruby’s life as long as possible.
She died peacefully in January 2020.
Claire and Andy founded Be More Ruby following their daughter’s death to raise awareness and funds for research into rhabdomyosarcoma.
In four years they have raised more than £200,000.
They have also published two children’s books inspired by Ruby’s love of unicorns.
