Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Big C battler’s work pays off
Ben’s mum Laura knew something was seriously wrong when her boy started having angry outbursts, and falling over while walking to school.
It took eight months before Ben, then five, was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Now, after life-saving surgery at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Ben, nine, campaigns to raise awareness about the symptoms of childhood brain tumours – which helped him win his place on the plane.
Laura, from Liverpool, says: “Ben is the biggest Saturday Night Takeaway fan and he always wanted to win a place on the plane. We applied last series and didn’t win and Ben used to cry at the end of every show.
“So we applied again this year and couldn’t believe it when we got the call.
“Even now we are here in America we have to keep pinching ourselves.
“When you are walking around you can tell who the people are who won a place on the plane – you think you know them because you’ve seen them on the telly. Everyone is just buzzing.
“This is a dream come true for Ben. He has been through so much and works so hard to raise awareness.
“In the school holidays he went around all the GP surgeries putting up posters, and he managed to persuade the council to put symptom information on school newsletters.
“Ben’s the biggest rollercoaster fan so he is having the time of his life.”