Benjamin has now completed his treatment and been given the ‘all clear’ from his bone marrow test!!!!!! He will have an operation to remove his port before Christmas this year and will continue to go for regular checks at the RVI in Newcastle for the rest of his life, but he now officially no longer has Leukemia!!!!!!

 

Well done Everyone for completing the Darlington 10k and Year3 (now Year4) for completing their run. Thank you for all the sponsorship (WOW I CAN’T BELIEVE HOW GENEROUS EVERYONE HAS BEEN) which really will make such a difference to so many children in our area. Please take time to visit TFM’s Cash for Kids web page to see examples of how your money will help.

 

We would also like to thank family, friends, Levendale School and all staff at the RVI for all support and kindness over the last 3 years.

 

The facts

Benjamin was born 6 weeks prematurely on September 3 2004 after an emergency C section, whilst in hospital MRSA was found on a swab taken from his umbilical cord whilst in his incubator. When he was 3 years old he was assessed as having Aspergers syndrome. Then in July 2010 we were told he had Leukemia. Whilst fighting Leukemia and having daily Chemo through medicine and larger chemo regularly into his port and into his spine, he caught an infection. After 6 weeks in hospital beginning in March 2011 the infection left him two holes in his rectum and therefore he had to have stoma (an operation to bring his bowl through his stomach), to give it chance to mend and in a wheel chair as the length of time he had spent in bed left him too weak to walk. He was able to manage without his wheel chair after a couple of months and had the stoma reversed in October 2011. His treatment and Chemo for Leukemia he will continue until August this year and then he will have regularly checks at Newcastle RVI for the rest of his life. The effects of long term Chemo on Benjamin`s body we will not know until about 18 months after it finishes.

This is only part of Benjamin`s story, the part that when you met him you would never realize.  Benjamin would say,

Benjamin’s story

I am Benjamin Saunders and I am 8, I live in Ingelby Barwick with my Dad who works and plays on a computer, makes stuff with me and watches cool films with me too and my Mum who gives great cuddles and kisses, sometimes shouts and makes lovely cakes. I have a sister Lucy who is 6 and sometimes a pain but most of the time makes me laugh. I have a brother William, who is 2 he sometimes trashes my room but is fun and lovely most of the time. I see lots of Taylor and Eleana who are my cousins who my Mum looks after they are Williams age and very noisy when all together. I have lots of friends at Levendale School and I love Lego and learning new words. I have a brilliant family and love spending time with my Grandma and Granddad. I have Leukemia which makes me tired and I can`t join in with some stuff because I have a port. The steroids have made my tummy `swell`, but my mum and dad say it will go down when the medication stops. I have to take tablets every day and sometimes the chemo makes me feel really sick and hot, then cold. I have to have the medication because it will make my Leukemia go away.

Our story

Benjamin aged 5; Lucy aged 3 and William aged 3 months woke In June 2010 to take Benjamin for a blood test because we thought he may be anemic. Dave and went to visit my Mum then returned home to find our doctor outside our house. He told us to go to the RVI straight away because Benjamin`s blood had shown that he most likely had Leukemia. From that moment our world changed dramatically. The first year was full of pain, anger guilt, Why didn`t we know? Then guilt about leaving Lucy and William to be with Benjamin, leaving Benjamin to see Lucy and William. Our kitchen went from making cakes and painting to giving Chemo in between.

After the first year things settled down into a strange routine and since that day there have been 6 in our family, Dave, Me, Benjamin, Lucy, William and Leukemia.

People would ask how do you do it the answer like all the other families in our area with ill children is because you have too.

What made it easier was the support from the Clicsargent in particularly Michelle, the RVI staff and most importantly our close family Grandma, Granddad Aunties Uncles Beth, Jack, Taylor Eleana and friends; Jo and Becky and playhouse nursery Ingelby who looked after William, Lucy Eleana and Taylor free of charge and at a moment’s notice not only when Benjamin was sick but every hospital visit over the three years. Then people who remember to ask nearly three years on. Thank you more than you know.

This is why it is so important to help because not everyone has these people but everyone needs them.