Ben Saunders Foundation

24/08/2026

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23/08/2026

On Tuesday it will be 6 years since we lost Ben to this cruel disease.

This will be the last post until Wednesday, every year we ask people if they would be kind enough to change their profile picture to the logo for 24 hours on the 25th in memory of our son.

YNWA Ben we promise you that

Thank you 💕🙏

(BSF) provide holidays for families with young adult, children and bereaved families due to cancer. We have raised over £1 million in memory of beautiful Ben and provided holidays for over 500 families at our holiday homes in the Cotswolds YNWA Ben ⚽️💕

23/08/2026

Family 531. Tomorrow we welcome beautiful Maya and her family from stunning Perinporth in Cornwall. We hope that have a beautiful stay in the cotswold 💕

Fourteen year old Maya’s journey began with an insect bite on her leg that quickly became infected and would not respond to antibiotics. We knew something was wrong with her ability to fight infection. We never imagined for one second that cancer could be to blame.

Several visits to the Royal Cornwall Hospital’s emergency department we were told she needed immediate transfer overnight to Bristol with suspected leukaemia.

The following morning, Maya and her mum Holly arrived in Bristol.

Meanwhile back in Cornwall little sister Ruby (aged 11 at the time), their Auntie Livvy and Karen “Bibi” as they call their Grandmother, began to take on board the enormity of the news.

Further tests confirmed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and we started to learn the vast new vocabulary we were about to have thrust at us all.

Maya is now nine months into her two years of treatment and is doing amazingly well. Probably better than the rest of us to be honest!

Twice we have had to deal with her treatment sending her into type one diabetic territory which was a new challenge to master. Twice she has lost all her hair and learned that inner beauty and health really do mean so much more than beauty that is only skin deep.

We have all learned to be more aware, more tolerant and patient.

We are so grateful to The Ben Saunders Foundation for this much needed time away as a family. Thank you so much.

22/08/2026

Exactly 6 years ago today Saturday 22 August 2020 Ben’s first fundraiser took place. Looking back at all the pictures is a truly heartbreaking experience for us as Ben was very poorly in hospital and unable to attend.

In the weeks leading up to these first two events Ben’s focus was to create a lasting legacy for others going through a similar journey. He was organising fundraising events, designing merchandise and giving us very clear instructions for the future.

The head shave was followed by the Zumba dance the following weekend. We lost Ben in between on the 25 August 2020 🙏

Please keep Ben in your memories this weekend, we are so thankful for all your support but the first two events are especially difficult for us to look back on 🙏

We love and miss him forever 💔💕

20/08/2026

Family 529

Tomorrow we welcome Sophie and Darren from WSM. Once again no words, just simply heartbreaking and unfair and crap💔🙏

Archie was an exceptionally kind, funny, carefree little boy who was two terms into primary school and looking forward to everything that laid ahead.

He loved his pets, loved school and was friends with everybody, but his best friend was his big sister Matilda (7).

He died at the start of this year, very shortly after a shock leukaemia diagnosis.

Two weeks into the new year Archie became unwell with a temperature and feeling really tired. He was diagnosed that week with strep throat (something many of the children in his class had at the time too). He didn't improve as expected with the antibiotics however, and a few days later we were bluelighted to Bristol Childrens hospital with a very poorly boy.

That night we we told he had cancer. The following morning we found out more – he had “acute myeloid leukaemia”, and unfortunately he also had an incredibly high circulating white cell count which is a particuarly risky presentation with this type of leukaemia.

That afternoon he went to surgery to have his bone marrow biopsy and central line placed to be able to start treatment asap, but devastatingly he was already too unwell and died on recovery.

Our family is still reeling from the shock just over 6 months later.– a healthy little 5 year old boy with no concerns settling back into school, then slightly unwell to passed away in 9 days. It all feels unbelievable still. Matilda is incredible, still such a happy, optimistic little girl despite such a confusing, scary time losing her best friend and seeing her mummy and daddy so sad.
We're so grateful for this opportunity to get away together with no pressure to “have a great time” as we know how weird it's going to be without Archie with us. Thank you.

17/08/2026

Family 528 🙏 today we welcome Victoria and Aaron from North Yorkshire there are no words

Liz lived with cancer every day. Her prognosis was palliative from day one but that did not stand in her way of following her dreams. She was courageous, kind and determined to live life to the full. She was just 17 when she died.

Before Liz was diagnosed we had no idea that cancers like Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour existed. Liz had just a 15% chance of living 5 years. Despite aggressive treatment we only got 10 months.

Living without Liz is a brutal reality that 20 months later we still struggle to come to terms with. She is missed every second of every day. There is a gaping Liz shaped hole in our hearts that we cannot fill.

We are very grateful to the Ben Saunders Foundation for inviting us to stay.

11/08/2026

Its always nice to bring good news and we are super proud that once again we have been able to support the AREA 61 ward “Teenage Cancer Ward” in Bristol where Ben was treated.

Recently we worked with the wonderful Dyson Foundation to provide the unit with much needed top or the range fans and previously we have funded vouchers for the patients, easter eggs and also a much needed fridge freezer.

Today in my view tops the lot in terms of entertainment and we have proudly paid for a wonderful air hockey machine.

We will continue to work closely with the ward to ensure the young people treated their get the best experience possible

Thank you to everyone in the 200 club and anyone who raises awareness of our wonderful son foundation who make this support possible 💕

10/08/2026

Wonderful support once again from all the regulars and owners at the Trowbridge House. And incredible £231.63 in July/ Start Aug including Gift Aid and a superb £431 in just three months.

Thank you 👏💕