The David Benson Memorial Fund

Music teacher Daphne Benson and her 11-year-old son David both died of leukaemia, eight years apart. Tragically, David died suddenly and unexpectedly after being taken ill while on holiday in the Lake District. Out of that tragedy came a massive fundraising effort for research into leukaemia in families and children.

The fund is spear-headed by Angela Benson, David's stepmother, who has organised fund-raising concerts, sponsored events and donations.

The most recent concert was on 30 August 2003, at Chethams' School of Music, Manchester, (for details see here).

A wonderful idea for fundraising was the creation of a song to commemorate David's life - 'A Light for David.'

The idea for the song came about when writer and journalist Janice Warman heard about David's death from Angela Benson.

Greatly moved by the story, Janice offered to write a song to raise funds for the David Benson Memorial Fund.

Janice worked with her friend, American singer Rebecca Wright, David Ceredig-Evans, Head of Music at Great Walstead School, Lindfield, and producer Jez Bird to record the song.

"As a parent, your greatest fear is losing a child," says Janice. "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.

Every penny of profit from this CD will go to the David Benson Memorial Fund, which funds research at the Immunogenetics Lab at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester.

Donations to the Cancer Immunogenetics Research Fund for research into childhood leukaemia and cancer, or to the David Benson Memorial Fund should be made out to the University of Manchester, and sent to the Cancer Immunogenetics Laboratory.

Click HERE for details of past fund-raising events.