Song helps raise £1,500

A SONG inspired by the death of a child has helped to raise another £1,500 for research into leukaemia in families.

A SONG inspired by the death of a child has helped to raise another 1,500 for research into leukaemia in families.

Eleven-year-old David Benson died in 1999 from leukaemia eight years after his mother, Daphne, died from the same illness.

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A special fund was set up by the Benson family to help pay for Dr Malcolm Taylor's research into familial leukaemia at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester.

Angela Benson, David's stepmother, has spearheaded the fund, raising 14,000 so far through sponsored events, donations and charity concerts of which the most recent was last Saturday at Heathfield Community College, where Daphne had been head of music, and where David had been about to move when he died.

The first public performance of the song in memory of David, called A Light for David, was given at the Heathfield concert.

The idea for the song came about when writer and editor Janice Warman heard about David's death from her piano teacher, Angela Benson. Greatly moved, she offered to write a song to raise funds. American singer, Rebecca Wright, her songwriting partner, produced the melody, David Ceredig-Evans the arrangement and Jez Bird, the CD. Rebecca and David, who is head of music at GreatWalstead School, Lindfield, performed the song on Saturday, and the compered by Alasdair Malloy, the BBC Concert Orchetra's principal percussionist.

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Janice said: 'As a parent, your greatest fear is losing a child. For us, the project was an act of love lighting a candle against the darkness. It's been an amazing collaborative process, and we've all thrown our hearts and souls into it.'

She added: 'We would be over the moon if sales of the CD could make a real contribution to research into leukaemia in families and help prevent the death of even one child.'

Donations for the fund may be sent direct to Dr Malcolm Taylor, Immunogenetics Laboratory, St Mary's Hospital, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 0JH. For information about the CD which also features songs by Rebecca Wright and David Ceredig-Evans, ring 01444 415468.

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