A 6 year old girl from Essex tragically passed away following what was supposed to be a routine appendix operation. Ruby Trussler, hailing from Harlow, Essex, seemed to have successfully undergone an appendectomy in March 2024. Yet, by early October 2024, Ruby began experiencing stomach pains and vomiting, leading her mother, Emma Trussler, aged 45, to initially suspect a common sickness bug from her primary school. However, as Ruby's condition worsened, she was urgently taken to A&E at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, on October 7.

There, doctors found that Ruby was critically dehydrated with green vomit, a sign of an abdominal adhesion – a bowel blockage linked to scar tissue from her previous surgery. The following morning, she was moved to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge where surgeons managed to remove the obstruction, but heartbreakingly, Ruby did not regain consciousness.

After enduring two additional operations, including one to amputate her leg due to a blocked artery, Emma and her husband faced the excruciating choice to switch off their daughter's life support. "We thought we couldn't let her go on like this," Emma recounted.

"It was the hardest thing we've ever done. She was the perfect daughter.", reports Essex Live. Ruby was known for her vibrant and sociable nature, with a love for singing and dancing. She was a beloved figure at William Martin Primary School in Harlow, and despite being in year two, she had made friends across different year groups. "She was always smiling," remembered Emma, who works as a child carer in Harlow.

In March 2024, young Ruby, aged just six, faced a health scare when she was diagnosed with appendicitis and underwent a routine operation to remove her appendix at Princess Alexandra Hospital. The surgery was deemed a success, and Ruby returned to her normal activities without issue.

But by early October, five months post-operation, Ruby began experiencing stomach pains. Initially brushed off as a stomach bug prevalent in her primary school, Ruby's condition worsened over the weekend, leaving her excessively tired and sleeping for long stretches.

On October 7, an emergency trip to A&E at Princess Alexandra revealed that Ruby had developed an abdominal adhesion, a complication where internal tissues and organs stick together due to scar tissue from her earlier surgery – a known risk of appendectomies highlighted by the NHS.

Ruby's family was told she would be transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital, but the move didn't happen until the next day, a delay which her mother Emma fears may have affected the outcome. When they finally made the journey, Emma recounted the urgency: "We got from Harlow to Cambridge in 26 minutes. It would normally take an hour but the ambulance drove at 96 miles an hour."

Surgeons at Addenbrooke's were able to remove the obstruction, but devastatingly, Ruby didn't regain consciousness. The following day, it was found that she had developed sepsis and the bowel obstruction caused a blocked artery in her left leg. Her leg was amputated, and there were also growing concerns for her right leg and hands. Ruby remained in a coma after the amputation.

On 10 October, in a bid to save her, surgeons performed a procedure to open her abdomen to relieve pressure and drain fluid. Despite their efforts, Ruby's health continued to decline. Her blood pressure, temperature, and heart rate were erratic, and breathing became a struggle. On October 11, Emma and her partner were faced with the agonizing choice to switch off her life support.

The cause of death was noted as multiple organ failure resulting from sepsis. Emma reflected on the dreadful choice: "They'd tried everything and we thought we couldn't do this to her anymore," and "Enough was enough. We had to make that decision. The whole family was able to say goodbye to her. It was the hardest thing we've ever done. She was the perfect daughter." Ruby leaves behind three older half-sisters and four year old twin brothers. "Her brothers have coped really well. We talk about her every day and they draw pictures of her all the time," Emma revealed.

In remembrance of young Ruby, a GoFundMe page was set up by a family friend to fulfil Emma's vow to take Ruby to Disneyland Paris, a dream expressed during her time in the hospital. "Ruby's dream was to go to Disneyland. It's so sad she'll never go but our whole family is going on her birthday in November this year to remember her," Emma disclosed.

Emma passionately stated, "We can't bring Ruby back, we know that, but we want to raise as much awareness as we can about sepsis to prevent others from going through the same thing." In the wake of Ruby's heartbreaking demise, Emma has impressively raised over £18,000 for Sepsis UK and plans to conquer the Three Peaks Challenge in May.

The rallying of community support hasn't gone unnoticed by Emma, who especially praised Ruby's primary school, William Martin, for their exceptional support. An official inquiry into Ruby's untimely death is expected to begin on 15 May. Sharon McNally, PAHT’s Chief Nurse and Deputy Chief Executive, shared sympathies, saying: "We offer our deepest condolences on the sad loss of Ruby and our thoughts continue to be with her family."

McNally further informed, "We are unable to comment on individual cases, however, we have fully investigated the circumstances surrounding Ruby's care and treatment at our hospital and with our partner organisations. Our commitment remains strong towards continuous improvement, with a focus on learning from every incident." Those interested in contributing to the fundraising effort for the Disneyland trip in Ruby's memory can visit www.gofundme.com/f/disney-trip-in-memory-of-ruby..