North Crawford High School Band performs song for seven-year-old based on her book of surviving cancer

NORTH CRAWFORD, (WKBT)-- Ruby Ihm was only three years old when she was diagnosed with cancer. For two years, she received treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

"It's not just hard on ruby. It's hard on family, extended family, friends and thankfully they're all there with us fighting for Ruby and others," her mother, Chelsea, tells News 8 Now

At age six, she became a cancer survivor. During her fight, she wrote and illustrated a book about her experience.

"It was really fun writing the book because I love drawing and doing art," Ihm says.

Recently the book was turned into a song. UW-Platteville student Samuel Fuchs composed the music for it.

"I was contacted by my band director. He said there was this foundation that was looking for a student composer to write a piece along the lines of a story," Fuchs recalls.

Fuchs couldn't turn down the opportunity. After working on the song for three months, it was finally released on Wednesday night. The song premiered during the North Crawford school district's spring concert. Composing "Rudy's Story" was an unforgettable experience for Fuchs.

"I haven't created something like this before. I've written other pieces, not to a story. I thought that was a very interesting way to compose," Fuchs says.

Ruby's mother never thought her daughter's story would turn into a song.

"It's pretty cool and very humbling," she explains. "You can't ask for better people you meet along the way on your journey."

In honor of Ruby, her mother started her own non-profit called Chasing Rainbows. It supports pediatric cancer research and the families affected by pediatric cancer.

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