Julie's song in memory of Ben

Thursday, November 13, 2008, 00:00

A RUGELEY mother and songwriter has become the face and voice of a Christmas charity appeal after the story of her son who died from a brain tumour plucked at the heart strings of campaign organisers.

The Donna Louise Trust, a hospice service that provides respite and end of life care for terminally ill children, launched its Angel Love Christmas Appeal, this week, backed by Julie Stevenson's song of the same name.

Julie is fronting the campaign in memory of her son, Ben, who died from an inoperable brain tumour in February 2007.

In the last few weeks of his life, Ben and his close family moved into the Donna Louise Hospice in Trentham, where they were provided with support as the teenager steadily deteriorated.

Julie was then chosen by campaign organisers after she attended a charity event, Treetops Memory Day, in September this year and performed Angel Love which she had written about Ben.

"Julie has inspired the whole campaign with Ben's story," said Melanie Mills, head of fund-raising for the Donna Louise Trust.

"She has been incredibly brave about sharing her story and we loved the song, which we are now using in support of the appeal.

"She wrote the song to explain how the loss of a child affected her – it was a very difficult time.

"Julie is really, really brave and it is quite incredible what she is doing because Ben only died last year," she added.

Julie said: "Ben was a healthy young man who loved his football when, one month before his birthday, on December 23, 2005, he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.

"The help we got at the Donna Louise Trust was invaluable and I want to do everything I can to help them and this is the least that I can do," she added.

A leaflet and a CD containing Angel Love are being distributed across Staffordshire and anyone who donates £10 or more to the charity will receive a ceramic ornament.

For further information or to find out how to donate telephone 01782 654444 or log on at www.donnalouisetrust.org.