A grandad says his heartbroken family will never get over the loss of his seven-year-old granddaughter to sepsis – and is urging people to be aware of the symptoms.
John Boyd, of Poets Walk, Walmer, in Deal, says little Ruby Walker was a “fighter” and a “joyful” child whose life was tragically cut short.
The grief he has endured since her death has driven him to raise awareness of sepsis and its dangers.
“Sepsis is more common than people think, but so many don’t know the symptoms,” the 67-year-old said.
“It can take hold in hours. It took my granddaughter from us, and I want to help make people aware of it.”
Ruby’s was born with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that severely affected her lungs from infancy.
Despite requiring oxygen from just six months old and undergoing constant medical treatments, she was described as a “determined and joyful child”.
“Ruby had a terrible start to life but she never gave up,” said Mr Boyd.
“By the time she was seven, her lungs were so damaged she was placed on the transplant list. She was running out of time, but Ruby being Ruby, she kept fighting.”
In December 2018, her lungs collapsed.
Doctors warned her mum Dianne Boyd that her daughter might not survive, but against all odds, the youngster pulled through.
Living in Arbroath, Scotland, at the time, she was transferred to Newcastle, where she spent three months in hospital before undergoing a double lung transplant.
Mr Boyd, who was in the Royal Marines for 24 years, added: “It was touch and go so many times.
“A little girl had died of meningitis, and her parents donated all her organs.
“Ruby got her lungs, and for a short while, it seemed like things were finally going her way.”
After the transplant in March 2019, Ruby made a remarkable recovery. For the first time, she could go to school without an oxygen tank and was described as being “full of life and hope”.
But in the summer of 2019, she contracted an infection and was rushed back to Newcastle.
“She went downhill so quickly,” Mr Boyd explained.
“Her body went into septic shock, and they couldn’t save her.
“On August 31, 2019, we lost her.
“She was everything to us.
“She’d been through so much in her short life, and to lose her like that is something we’ll never get over.”
Sepsis, a life-threatening condition triggered by the body’s extreme response to infection, can escalate rapidly, as it did in Ruby’s case.
It can have many symptoms, including fever, rapid heart rate, confusion and difficulty breathing.
Mr Boyd, who has lived in Deal since 1989, added: “My daughter’s never going to get over this.
“She devoted her whole life to Ruby, and to lose her like that… I can’t put it into words.
“It’s changed all of us forever.”
During Mr Boyd’s tenure as captain of Walmer & Kingsdown Golf Club in 2024, he raised £19,000 for the UK Sepsis Trust in Ruby’s memory.
On Wednesday, the CEO of the charity, Sarah Hamilton-Fairley, came to accept the cheque from him.
“This charity is so important,” Mr Boyd added.
The UK Sepsis Trust is supported by the former Conservative MP for South Thanet.
He was dubbed the ‘bionic MP’ after surviving sepsis resulted in a quadruple amputation.
He has since become Lord Mackinlay of Richborough and is backing the charity’s calls for comprehensive and consistent care for the condition across the UK.
“I know first-hand the devastating effects sepsis can have,” the Conservative said.
“It is unacceptable that so many survivors are left to struggle without the support they need; we can’t have a postcode lottery when it comes to health.
“The government must step up and ensure that everyone who has battled sepsis receives the care and resources necessary to not only survive the condition but go on to rebuild their lives.”
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