Five-year-old with brain tumour enjoys day as a princess thanks to Kirkby teenager

Unlike a lot of 15-year-olds Ruth Lamb spends most of her time dancing and helping people by fundraising.

After hearing about the plight of Chloe Rose Askew she decided to use her skills to pay for a horse and carriage ride so Chloe could be a princess for a day, complete with gown and tiara.

Chloe, formerly of Park Street, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, was born healthy but at two-and-half was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour an “ependymoma." She was diagnosed at Kings Mill Hospital, in Sutton and an MRI revealed an aggressive brain tumour the size of a tangerine. It was removed at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

Although now living out of the area, Chloe has had teams of medics caring for her, has endured years of cancer therapies including radiotherapy and specialist proton beam therapy in Florida.

She has had shunts in her head to relieve cerebral swelling and brain surgery left her with an incurable painful condition called arachnoiditis. She has scoliosis of the spine and has had a tracheotomy, a tube in her windpipe, so she can breathe.

Ruth, who is a pupil at Ashfield School, said she just wanted to help after hearing of Chloe’s condition.

She regularly organises sponsored dance-a-thons, raffles, competitions, and has been selling painted pebbles to raise money.Despite suffering from Celiac Disease, Ruth danced for 100 hours through lockdown, winning support from celebrities including her hero Wayne Sleep, Keith Lemon, Lost Voice Guy, This Morning’s Eamonn and Ruth, Ollie Hind, Alesha Dixon, James Lomas from the West End Billy Elliot and Kym Marsh, from Coronation Street.

Over the years, the Christine March Dance School student, has raised thousands for charities, including the Emily Harris Foundation, John Eastwood Hospice, Children in Need, Jacob Fradgley and Women’s Aid.

Family "blown away" by community supporting for five year old Chloe treated for rare brain tumour

On Wednesday, Chloe enjoyed the special day organised by Ruth with her sister Ellie Mai, 14, brothers Joshua, 11, Jenson, 6, dad Paul Askew, 40 and mum Theresa Cotterell, aged 38.

During their ride, at White Borough Farm at Teversal, Chloe met Santa, white horses Sugar and Spice, Shetland pony Mary-Legs and another Princess Rapunzel.

Notts teenager dances her way into the hearts of celebrities whilst raising cash to help people

Ruth also presented a cheque for £1,300, to be used for a playroom.

Chloe’s mum, Theresa Cotterell said she was touched by Ruth’s “kindness and generosity” describing her as “amazing and inspiring.”

"Chloe was so excited, she loved her special day, she was just in awe at it all. There was music in the carriage, Santa rang a bell. It was all just lovely,” she said.

Chloe received various gifts, and the cheque from Ruth and her mum Julie Lamb.

Julie said: “I am so proud of Ruth, she is my amazing, kind daughter who lives and breathes dancing and helping people.”

Ruth previously won a Nottingham Hero and Ashfield Excellence awards, she won the dance section in Junior Show Time, and has danced with Wayne sleep and the English Youth Ballet.

She was mentioned in the Pride of Britain online for her fundraising, and been on Radio Nottingham and Virgin Radio, and appeared on TV with Kym Marsh.