Four years since her first diagnosis, devastating news has emerged that Toy Show star Saoírse Ruane has died. Saoírse, 12, stole the hearts of not only Ryan Tubridy but the entire country when she appeared on the Toy Show in 2020 aged eight years old, just months after she had her right leg amputated due to osteosarcoma – a rare form of cancer that affected her tibia. Today’s top videos The brave Galway girl passed away on Tuesday, after enduring a number of health setbacks in the years following her original diagnosis. Saoírse’s official death notice on rip.ie reads: ‘It is with broken hearts the Ruane family announces the passing of their beautiful daughter and sister, Saoírse, who passed away peacefully at home, after a long illness bravely borne, in the arms of her heartbroken parents, Ollie and Roseanna, on Tuesday, 5th March 2024.’ ‘Saoírse, aged just 12 years old, was surrounded, as she has been throughout her illness, by the love, care and devotion of her family, the prayers and goodwill of the community in Kiltullagh and people all over the country who held Saoírse in their hearts.’ Throughout her health battle she kept her ever positive outlook and enjoyed some magical moments that she shared with followers, including winning a bravery award, a trip to Disney and even recording a single with Bressie. Saoírse was the eldest child of Roseanna and Ollie Ruane, who often described her as their ‘miracle’. She was conceived naturally following Ollie’s battle with testicular cancer and Roseanna’s health complications following peritonitis, which could have affected her fertility. The couple spent seven years after Saoírse’s birth visiting fertility clinics and specialists before they welcomed their second daughter Farrah Rose. Two years after Saoírse had her leg amputated, her cancer returned in 2022. The little girl had to undergo surgery, that her mum Roseanna described as ‘the fight of her life’, to remove a tumour in her lung. At the time, Roseanna shared that despite the operation, Saoírse was still smiling. ‘Saoírse is in great form and doing incredibly well in her recovery. We along with her team are hugely impressed by how well she is doing considering her surgery was so major and invasive. She’s a tough little cookie,’ Roseanna wrote. However in April 2023, Saoírse’s lung cancer returned. It had remained fairly static for a time, but in November of the same year, the family received yet another devastating blow with the news that another tumour had been found in Saoírse’s other lung. Breaking the news, Roseanna said ‘It’s been three months since her last review and while her tumour in her left lung is relatively static, yesterday’s CT scan shows her cancer has now spread to her other lung.’ Roseanna continued: ‘This came as a huge shock to us as Saoírse has been doing so well. In just six more days it will be 4 years since her journey with cancer began. Four diagnosis in four years is very hard to take. While we are still trying to process this new information, the show must go on.’ Following this latest diagnosis, the family went quiet for a few months, choosing to spend all their time focused on each other. In February 2024, Roseanna asked the public for prayers for her little girl and posted a quote that read: ‘When we have each other, we have everything.’ She said: ‘Our absence has been felt and we are so grateful to each of you for checking in on us and for all the love you send our way. We really miss our daily engagement with you all, but we’ll be back when the time is right. ‘Amongst the chaos of the world and all the sadness that’s out there, we are focusing on what’s inside out four walls and hugging each other tight. We ask again for your prayers for Saoírse. Chat to you all again soon.’ Saoírse passed away on March 5, 2024, at the age of 12 years old. She’s survived by her parents Roseanna and Ollie and little sister Farrah Rose. Her funeral will take place on Sunday, March 10 at 1.45pm in St Peter and Paul’s Church, Kiltullagh.

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