Ropes & Gray raises over £50,000 for cancer charity following death of London partner’s daughter

Kaiya suffered from a rare form of leukaemia

Ropes & Gray has raised more than £50,000 for a leading childhood cancer charity following the death of a partner’s daughter earlier this year.

Kaiya Patel, the daughter of Ruchit Patel, a competition partner in the firm’s London office, was just five years old when she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer known as acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in March 2018. Sadly, despite undergoing chemotherapy and receiving a vital bone marrow transplant, Kaiya contracted a virus and died in January this year, aged six.

Moved by Kaiya’s death, Ropes & Gray launched a pro bono fundraising scheme involving 600 lawyers, including Patel, which has raised £50,500 for Children with Cancer UK, a leading children’s cancer charity dedicated to raising and investing funds into vital specialist research to save the lives of children with cancer.

The firm pledged to donate £80 to the charity in Kaiya’s memory for every lawyer who met a 20-hour pro bono goal by 30 June.

Patel said: “Kaiya told us so many times after she got sick that she wanted to dedicate her life to helping other cancer sufferers. She can’t do that in her physical form anymore, but I am certain that she looks down delighted that she galvanized this effort.”

Children with Cancer UK acting CEO Mark Brider added: “Children with Cancer UK was deeply saddened to hear of Kaiya’s death and we are incredibly grateful to receive this generous in memory donation.”

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