A five-month-old baby girl from St Ives has been fitted with a corrective surgical helmet after her parents contacted The Hunts Post for help when the NHS refused to pay for the device.

Mum, Tina Scrivener, of Houghton Road, launched a Help Rubee campaign when her daughter was diagnosed with a condition called plagiocephaly, also known as flat head syndrome.

Ruby’s head is flat, her ears are uneven, one eye is squinting and her forehead is beginning to protrude, but she will wear her new helmet for 23 hours a day for six months to correct this.

The NHS refused to fund the £2,000 cost of the helmet, as they considered it was purely cosmetic.

Tina, who has six other children, said she had been overwhelmed by the support she had received from the community and also the response to her fund-raising campaign.

“We are completely overwhelmed by how kind people have been, the community have really pulled together for Rubee, words cannot even begin to explain how grateful we are, Rubee now has a fair chance of the happy life she deserves.

“Rubee has taken to her ‘crown’ very well and we are excited to see her progress. Everyone has been amazing and helped beautiful Rubee keep her smile.”

The fund-raising campaign brought in more than £4,000 in just a few weeks after Rubee’s story was published.

“We have gone on to donate to two other families in the same situation as Rubee and put some towards Rubee’s physio on her neck,” explained Tina.

“We would like to say a special ‘thank you’ to Toni Woolgar for organising our fund-raising event on August 31 and to Lynn and Tony for letting us use The Seven Wives pub in St Ives to hold it. Also a big ‘thank you’ to the Bridge church in St Ives, Huntingdon Community Church and The Three Horse Shoes pub in Houghton for their generous donations.”

INFORMATION: To follow Rubee’s progress go to: www.facebook.com/groups/helprubee.