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Riding for Ruby

Riding for Ruby

Good weather and 300+ riders are hoped for by the organisers of the Ruby Red Trust annual trail bike ride on Sunday 22 November 2015, held at Orongaronga Station.

Attracting riders from the lower North Island, this annual fundraiser event is run by the Kapi Mana Motorcycle Club – who having heard about Ruby Penney’s plight and the Trust’s need to raise money for Ruby and kids like Ruby, offered three years ago to set up a fundraising event.

At the age of 7 Ruby went on a family holiday to Australia. Devastatingly this trip resulted in an undiagnosed tick bite and a life-threatening illness - Lyme disease.

Ruby went from being active, bright and happy to being unable to count to ten, or to remember her ABC's, all the while having to endure up to 70 life-threatening seizures a month.

Ruby's disease has come at a huge personal cost to her family, with Ruby's mother Rachel giving up her job, and income, as a nurse to care for Ruby full time and Ruby’s medical treatment costing up to $1,500 every month.

In 2013 the Ruby Red Trust raised enough money enabling Ruby to consult with a world leading specialist in the U.S.A. and participate in a case study funded by the trust. Tickborne disease is more prevalent in the States so their understanding of the disease is significantly more comprehensive than the understanding of New Zealand doctors and our health system.

Rachel says that “Ruby significantly improved from her specialist’s management and guidance. She had huge progress at school and her treatment reduced the burden of seizures that plagued her life as a child. Due to her improvement, treatment for Lyme was stopped in October 2014, which led to a relapse of her condition in December 2014 and several ICU admissions this year.”

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“Ruby’s specialist needs to see Ruby to continue treating her. To assist in getting her to see her U.S specialist early next year, the Ruby Red Trust needs to raise $35,000 so we really need to make this year’s trail bike ride bigger and better than before.”

Event Details
Sunday 22 November 9.00am
Orongorongo Station and neighbouring properties, Coast Road, Wainuiomata

Like the facebook page TRAIL BIKE RIDE to keep up-to date with information.

Sign on at Orongorongo Station from 8am - 9.45 am Riders briefing - 10.00 am Track Opens - 10.15 am Track Closes - 3.30 pm $40.00 Senior $30.00 15 years and under $20.00 Minis Sausage 'n bread for lunch (no charge) Lamb on spit and coffee available (charged for) Raffles Cold drinks available to purchase EFTPOS will be available but please bring cash just incase.

If trail biking isn’t your thing but you would like to make a donation you can do so via the website www.rubyredtrust.org.nz

ENDS

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