A musician. A student. A son. A survivor. Ben Watson is many things to many people. For the hundreds who have been helped through the Benji Watson Cancer Foundation, Ben is a beacon of hope.
Diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma at age 14, Ben was determined to be a survivor. During the treatment process, he drew strength from the family and friends that surrounded him, as well as from his lifelong love of music. His mom recalls how Ben could often be heard singing Frank Sinatra in the shower after a chemotherapy session.
When his cancer went into remission, he gave himself a new mission: to help other pediatric cancer patients who didn’t have the same resources that he did. And so, the Benji Watson Cancer Foundation was born.
Today, Ben remains actively involved as a board member and representative of the foundation that bears his name. He’s still singing, as well as playing the piano, drums, and most recently, the guitar. And he just took on another big role: full-time student at the University of Central Florida.
While Ben is still too young to know what he wants to do with his life, one thing is for certain, this survivor is determined to make the most of every single day.
I never planned on being a cancer survivor, but on October 1, 2010 my world was changed forever. I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s large B-cell lymphoma. I decided then, that I would be a cancer survivor.
While in the hospital, I learned of the many fellow pediatric cancer fighters who were not as blessed as I had been by my family, friends, school, church, and neighborhood. I saw how families often struggle to stay with their sick child and give them the time and support that they need to fight their cancer. Because of this, I wanted to start a foundation to help pediatric cancer patients who have needs that their families are unable to meet. The Benji Watson Cancer Foundation was created.
I am now in remission and want to do as much as I can to help these families in need. The Benji Watson Cancer Foundation continues to host yearly fundraisers and work closely with my oncologist, members of the community, local hospitals and other non-profit organizations in assisting families to make their fight a little less painful.
Families will always have rent payments to be made, household bills that pile up and empty pantries that can’t be filled. The child often needs special clothing, braces or medicine that aren’t covered by insurance. It is my hope that with your support and help, some of these needs can be taken care of, and the child, strengthened by their family, will be a survivor like me.
Thank you for all of your support and for your generosity.
