Ruby Seeto is 17 years old, a final year student at St Cuthbert’s College, fundraiser and cancer survivor. She lives in Auckland, NZ with her Rotary family.
In 2006 when Ruby was nine, and not long after her father Ron Seeto became President of the Rotary Club of Newmarket, she found a lump under her ribs. She was immediately admitted to Starship Children’s Hospital and diagnosed with a Sarcoma of the Liver.
Ruby underwent surgery to remove a large 1.6kg tumour, her gall bladder and 70% of her liver. After twelve months of chemotherapy she recovered and was able to return to school healthy.
Fortunate to receive support from several charities during her illness, Ruby wanted to give back via a new fundraising initiative of her own. Between chemotherapy sessions she created her first drawing to screen print onto a cotton tea towel to sell to family and friends. There was great demand for her $10 tea towel, with $6 (being all the proceeds after costs) from each tea towel going to her chosen cause. Since then, Ruby has made Starship Children’s Hospital her main focus. Collaborating with local linen retailer Wallace Cotton, who manage production and sales, she continues to design a new tea towel every year, and now aprons (which sell for $15). She also created a Rotary design for then Governor Ron’s combined District 9920 and District 9940 Pushing Boundaries Conference in Rotorua last year which was organised and run in conjunction with his Rotary year mate Graeme Blick.
So far Ruby’s tea towels have raised more than $300,000 for Starship. Each year the money is directed to a specific purpose and has helped New Zealand’s national children’s hospital upgrade wards, purchase vital equipment and fund further education for paediatric staff.
It has been incredibly rewarding for Ruby to receive so much support from people throughout NZ and overseas saying her how much they love her designs.
Her next tea towel should be available for sale online and in Wallace Cotton stores in September. Watch out for Ruby’s new tea towel Facebook page due to be launched at the same time.
Meanwhile, Ruby hopes to study Commerce and Design at Victoria University in Wellington next year and continue giving back.
It only took one young person with a great idea plus widespread support and it’s amazing what has been achieved! Ruby is an inspirational example to all who know her or have discovered these useful art collectables.
