Staff at the Royal Hotel in Deal have donated all of their tips from November to help a two-year-old girl suffering with an aggressive childhood cancer.

Ruby Laura Young, from Rainham in Medway, has stage four, high-risk neuroblastoma, a cancer that affects fewer than 100 children in the UK each year.

By the time Ruby was diagnosed earlier this year, the cancer had already spread throughout her body, making her condition one of the most difficult kinds of childhood cancer to treat.

Her family, including cousin Danny Rogers, a chef at the hotel in Beach Street, Deal, are fund-raising for the Neuroblastoma Children’s Cancer Alliance (NCCA UK) to help Ruby, and other children like her, should she need expensive treatment.

With a high-risk neuroblastoma diagnosis, the probability of relapse is high. By raising funds, her family and the NCCA UK can ensure that every possible avenue for treatment is open to her.

This includes potentially travelling to America for vital treatment, because it is not available in the UK, at a cost of some £500,000.

Danny and his girlfriend, Amy Freelove, who is a waitress at the same establishment, completed a Santa Fun Run in Maidstone last month, raising £250.

It was when they were asking for sponsorship at work and sharing Ruby’s story that another waitress had an idea.

Waitress Jade Bowkett said: “When Amy and Danny said about sponsoring them, I suggested to everyone that we should collect tips for one month and donate them to Ruby and everyone agreed.

“There’s a lot of staff with children here and they all felt, well, what if this was my child. They just said yes, take the tips. They didn’t hesitate.”

The staff’s gesture of £550 is one of many made to Ruby and her family as almost £70,000 has already been raised in six weeks.

Music mogul Simon Cowell is one of several celebrities to have joined Ruby’s campaign by tweeting and re-tweeting a family friend’s tweet.

Danny, who is now selling NCCA UK wristbands, said: “I just want to thank the people I work with because this means a lot to me and my family. We want to continue fund-raising.”

He would like other local businesses to get involved or do the same by donating their tips or perhaps take part in a ‘Wear Red for Ruby’ day.

Amy said: “At the moment Ruby is in and out of hospital for treatment and can’t go anywhere, but her family have said next summer, once she’s better, she would like to come to the Royal and thank everybody.”

Ruby has other relatives in Deal including Maureen, Tony and Christopher Rogers, who are also took part in the Santa Fun Run and are continuing to fund-raise.

There will be a giant raffle in Gillingham on Saturday for which Maureen is now collecting raffle prizes.

To help or donate a raffle prize, contact Maureen Rogers or Amy Freelove on Facebook.

There is a textline to donate. Text RLYJ88 £1-£10 TO 70070 or visit www.justgiving.com/RubyYoungJourney.

Follow Ruby’s progress by liking ‘Help Ruby Laura Smash Cancer’ page on Facebook.