A special fund and moving tribute to Ben Sambrook, ten years on

27 February 2024 | News, Fundraising, Supporters

In the 20 years that our charity has been working we have had the privilege to connect with many extraordinary families, not only supporting them through the most difficult of times but also feeling the support and inspiration that they give to others.

Today we pay tribute to one very special family and remember a very special boy, Ben Sambrook. Ben’s life was cut tragically short by an aggressive brain tumour and he passed away on 27 February 2014, aged just 14 years.

His mum, Sharon, shared her feelings with us about the grief of losing Ben and how the impact of his short life lives long in those who knew and loved him.

Time is a great healer they say, I beg to disagree. The pain I feel today is as real as it was ten years ago. Worse, in fact, because my beautiful boy is further away from me. My children, Ben and Emily, were the centre of my world, so when Ben died, part of me died too. I did not think I would survive a single second without him, but here I am putting one step in front of another and breathing, despite there being a Ben-shaped hole in my life.

In fact, I am actually living. Don’t get me wrong, I am not living like I used to. I still get debilitated by my grief and there is always a heaviness that I carry in my heart, but nonetheless I am living because I know that is what Ben would have wanted.

Ben was the most loving, caring boy who had an overwhelming passion for life. Sadly, his precious life was snatched away from him far too soon, therefore I owe it to him to live mine fully. I know that’s what my daughter Emily does, she lives her life for the both of them, embracing his love of music and using this as a means to navigate her own grief and pursue a career in music. Without his inspiration, this would not have happened.

Similarly, I have supported families affected by brain tumours, fundraised and raised awareness that has all been inspired by Ben. I also went back to university to complete the degree I had enrolled to do before he relapsed with a glioblastoma. It felt important to complete it after he died because it was a connection with him and I wanted to make him proud. From conception to graduation took 12 years, but I got there in the end and graduated with first class honours.

The loss of Ben also inspired us to adopt a little boy with additional needs. Ben always championed the underdog so I feel certain that Joseph coming into our lives would have filled him with joy, like it has us. So yes, as a family we live life and keep challenging ourselves because of Ben. He is loved and missed every single second of every single day, but in death, as in life, he continues to shape our lives beyond measure and we endeavour to follow his mantra:

“Sing loud, dance with abandon and love without limits.”

Sharon Sambrook – 27 February 2024

Ben’s family have set up a Brain Tumour Support Champion Fund to honour his memory and help ensure that other families like theirs can receive the support they need when facing a brain tumour diagnosis.

To donate in memory of Ben please visit Ben’s Legacy Champion Fund page.