The mother of a Co Armagh child who died after a brave cancer battle has paid tribute to the Northern Ireland Hospice.
Ben Stevenson was first diagnosed with a brain tumour when he was one month from his second birthday. The young child, from Lurgan, had not been right for a couple of weeks when his mum Tracey took him to the GP and then to A&E.
It was discovered that he had a tumour on the brain, and surgery removed 90% of it, with Ben needed further surgery three weeks later to have the remaining cancer taken out. He spent the majority of time in ICY in the Children's Hospital in Belfast. He also went through radiotherapy and was in hospital from the end of April until mid October 2019.
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Speaking to Belfast Live, Tracey described the help of the NI Hospice as unbelievable, and praised the team for their endless support through the most difficult of days for the family.
"Towards the end of that period in October, we were able to go to the Children's Hospice, just for a day so he was able to leave the hospitals setting," she added.
"We were able to bring our other two children with us and they were able to play and have normal time. Before that, Ben was in ICU but it was very clinical for the two young children to see their baby brother in that environment.
"The Hospice was more family-friendly and it wasn't as frightening for the children. At the time, they were seven and five, so they were full of fun and the Hospice made it more normal for them to spend time with Ben. When we came home from hospital we were able to have a weekend, which meant a lot to me because I was handing the care of Ben to the Hospice nurses, but we were on site incase he needed me.
"During the day, we stayed with him and done fun activities like arts and crafts and just had quality time. The nurses were there for us the whole way through and it meant so much to us, to have some normality because it wasn't normal for so long. They enabled me to focus on Ben's brother and sister that wee bit more.
"When Covid came in, it did change because you weren't allowed family stays and I wasn't ready to leave Ben and not be there so we didn't really do too much then, but Hospice was always at the other end of the phone. They rang every few weeks to check in on us and I know that if I needed anything, even some words of comfort, they were at the end of the phone for me."
Last July, Ben was diagnosed with a second brain tumour, which was picked up through a routine MRI scan. The family were told of his new diagnosis on the thursday, and he was in on Monday for another operation and further radiotherapy.
Again, the NI Hospice was there for the Stevenson family throughout this difficult period. As Ben was going through another brave fight, his grandmother, Tracey's mum, was also unwell and under Hospice care.
Ben sadly passed away on August 18, 2022 and one day after his funeral, his grandmother died.
Tracey said: "Ben got up on the Tuesday morning and I just wasn't happy with him, there just was something not right. I phoned and went down to the hospital and he took unwell in the hospital.
"He was admitted on the Tuesday and he died on the Thursday. Ben was a loving brother and just loved the farm. We live on a farm and he loved tractors and sheep, especially the wee black lambs. He was an outdoors boy and loved helping in the garden. He was just full of fun.
"My mummy passed away the day after Ben's funeral, so we have had it very hard. But the Hospice was great for mummy too, allowing to bring the children in to see her. They just were so good to our family. You have no words to describe how great the Hospice is. They do a great job."
After Ben's death, friends of the Stevenson family decided to come together in a bid to bring Ben's favourite Elmer home to his brother and sister.
Having gone on the Elmer Trail, which was part of a collaboration between the Northern Ireland Hospice, Wild in Art and Andersen Press, where David McKee's popular children's character Elmer the Patchwork Elephant was brought life.
The Lurgan community are now rallying to raise enough money to bring the Urban Elmer to the Stevenson's home in Lurgan, with more than £3,800 raised so far.
Speaking about the importance of Elmer to their family, Tracey said: "I had seen the Elmer Trail advertised for the Hospice and I had said to the children that we could go and see them. My mum was in the adult Hospice over the summer and we knew she was very ill so we got permission to go down to see mum and then we spent time with her before doing the trail.
"We had everybody, Ben in his wheelchair, and found the different Elmers dotting about. There was one decorated like a sheep and I thought this would be Ben's favourite, but it was actually the Urban Elmer that he loved the most. I hadn't told him that i knew the person who painted it but he just loved it and kept telling us how it was his favourite.
"When we learned that the community was fundraising to bring this Urban Elmer home, we were overwhelmed. We never would have thought of this and were so happy that they would even think of doing something like this for us. It is a lovely reminder for us all of that time that we had with Ben because that was one of the last things we did as a family of five together.
"It would be amazing if it were to come back. I want to say a big thank you to everybody, anyone who has donated to the fundraiser. We are totally shocked at how much people have donated, especially in the current climate.
"There are no words. We are really grateful to everybody that had donated. It is a great cause and very close to our hearts."
Please follow this link to donate to the 'Bring Elmer Home' fundraiser in memory of Ben Stevenson.
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