She was strong. But she wasn't invincible.

If you ask Ruby’s parents, Cindy and Steve, they’ll tell you that her older-than-her-years maturity would prove to be their best ally, giving them the ability to reason with Ruby why she needed to undergo often painful treatment.

Ruby was strong. But she wasn’t invincible. The combination of her physical weakness and the shock of what was about to happen overwhelmed her. As her physical condition deteriorated, Ruby almost completely withdrew and became very watchful of her surroundings and the people that were coming and going.

As well as treatment, Ruby needed huge doses of love plus constant attention and reassurance. But also wanted to be treated like a normal child.

“Within four hours of a blood test you are in an ambulance being taken to a hospital in a place you have never been to before with the word leukemia being thrown about. We were to hop on a rollercoaster that would take us on the journey of our new life.”

When Ruby is at home, her parents need to wear purple gloves to administer Ruby’s medications. When she goes out, Ruby wears face masks to help prevent contracting any illnesses – hardly normal for a girl her age.

Ruby has spent nearly two years in and out of hospital, which feels like an eternity to her.

For the first six weeks of treatment, Ruby was withdrawn and wouldn’t really talk. Her mum Cindy believes it was the bedside visits by Captain Starlight that got her to smile and talk again. For Ruby, Captain Starlight was a great distraction and reward for her patience in bravery.

One moment will forever stay with Steve and Cindy. It was about seven weeks into intensive chemotherapy. Ruby was very weak and sick and also very scared. Steve and Cindy wanted to reassure and comfort their child and say that everything was going to be alright, even if they were unsure if this was true.

“It was a great relief when towards the end of a performance in the Starlight Express Room that Ruby ever so slowly at first started to curl a corner of her lip, then both corners. Then we saw teeth, then we heard Ruby laugh. We didn’t realise at first the significance of what we were seeing but it only took a few seconds to sink in, how much we missed seeing our daughter be happy.

“We could not hold back the tears. A flood of emotions overwhelmed us, of relief, joy, and I think most importantly hope. With one smile Ruby had given us the strength and motivation to carry on.  We didn’t see any of the show we didn’t need to we just stared at Ruby with tears in our eyes and smiles on our faces.

Ruby looked at us and said, “That was pretty funny. Didn’t you like it? Why are you crying?”

Ruby was back!  Thank you Starlight.”

To experience more inspiring stories from Starlight about extraordinary kids like Ruby, don’t miss the original and moving reality theatre show created by Earth Key Productions, ‘Starlight Stories’. Running in Sydney until November 2, Starlight Stories is a unique theatre piece full of hope and love that tells the inspirational stories, word-for-word, of families whose lives have been dramatically changed by their child’s serious illness. Tickets are available at monkeybaa.com.au.