‘We never want her to be forgotten’ Roseanna Ruane pays tribute to Saoírse’s legacy in new Toy Show documentary

RTÉ have released a poignant new documentary which pays a touching tribute to the brave Saoírse Ruane who inspired the annual Toy Show Appeal.

First capturing the hearts of the nation when she appeared on the Toy Show in 2020, Saoírse lost her battle with cancer when she was just 12 years old in March last year.

RELATED: Roseanna Ruane shares heartbreaking question Saoírse’s little sister asked about her Santa letter

Saoírse won the hearts of the nation when she appeared on the 2020 edition of the show, which will be four years on Saturday (December 7). Pic: RTÉ

Saoírse’s mum Roseanna has been continuously open about her journey with grief following the loss of her daughter, who suffered from a rare form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma.

In the new documentary, Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal, the heartbroken mum opens up about Saoírse’s legacy and how she, her husband Ollie and their youngest Farrah-Rose keep her memory alive everyday.

Sharing a snippet of her interview from the show on social media, Roseanna candidly began:

‘I’m Rosanna Ruane. My daughter Saoírse was the little girl who inspired the Toy Show appeal’, followed by a clip of the moment her daughter appeared on the Toy Show and spoke about her best friend, a stuffed teddy named Slush with presenter Ryan Tubridy.

Pic: RTÉ One

Roseanna continued: ‘There was something people could see in Saoírse that not everybody could see. Saoírse passed on the 5th of March, 2024, only 20 months ago.’

The Galway native also touched on how the family keep Saoísrse’s memory alive.

‘From the moment we wake till the moment we sleep, we talk about Saoírse every day, and that keeps her memory alive. Farrah talks about Saoirse every day in such a lovely way. She’s so proud of her big sister and even we’re getting the ears pierced, she said “Saoírse would be so proud of me and I’m going to be brave just like Saoírse”‘.

On a thoughtful note, Roseanna said: ‘When I think of legacy, I don’t think about when I die, what are people going to remember me for, but I think it’s very important for a child that was deprived of her full life, that she would be remembered.

Roseanna Ruane and her daughters Saoirse and Farrah-Rose. Pic: Roseanna Ruane / Instagram

I suppose for myself and Olly, we never want her to be forgotten. We’re filled with pride to think that she will always be remembered as the girl who inspired the Toy Show appeal. That’s phenomenal’, she concluded.

There was lots of support flooding in for Roseanna and her family online, with one person writing: ‘She’ll be remembered for more than inspiring the Toy Show Appeal… she touched each of us deeply and we would remember her for her, regardless of her incredible achievement’.

Another said: ‘Don’t worry Roseanna, your beautiful Saoírse will never be forgotten, thanks to her amazing family who always speak so beautifully of her – Saoirse will live in all of our memories forever – sending so much love’.

Since its 2020 start, the Toy Show Appeal has raised over €26 million for Irish children’s charities across the country.

RTÉ explained what viewers can expect from the documentary: ‘Blending the warmth of The Late Late Toy Show with powerful, real-life stories, Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal will make you smile, shed a tear, and remember what kindness can do.’

Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal is available to stream on the RTÉ Player now.

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