Ben Bowen

Ben Bowen
"Big Ben" Bowen
Born	November 14, 2002(2002-11-14) Huntington, West Virginia
Died	February 25, 2005(2005-02-25) (aged 2) Huntington, West Virginia
Cause of death	Brain cancer (ATRT)
Residence	Huntington, West Virginia
Other names	"Big Ben"
Website
http://www.bens-story.com

Benjamin David "Ben" Bowen (November 14 2002 – February 25 2005),^[1] commonly called Big Ben Bowen,^[2] was a young Huntington, West Virginia boy who was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour in 2004. His family has used his story to raise awareness of childhood cancer and to raise almost $4,000,000 for St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Bowen's life

Ben Bowen was born to Tom and Jennifer Bowen on November 14, 2002. Ben had a normal infancy until age 16 months, when he was diagnosed with a golf-ball–sized tumor in the middle of his brain. Ben Bowen went to Cincinnati Children's Hospital for emergency brain surgery.^[3] The tumor proved to be a very aggressive, rare, and fast-growing atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT). The Bowens transferred to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in March 2004.^[4]

Ben's initial treatments included four brain surgeries and chemotherapy; he was too young for radiation therapy. During this treatment period, Ben Bowen picked up the nickname "Big Ben" because of his "big" demeanor, bravery and smile.^[5] The tumor reoccurred by November 2004, and no known medicines or treatments were left to help him.

With assistance from Federal Express, and the family of a victim in the September 11 attacks (whom Tom assisted in the recovery of), the Bowen family took Ben Bowen on a special two-week trip to Disney World, where they celebrated his second birthday.^[6][7]

Fundraising

The Bowens wanted to create a legacy in their son's name and thank Saint Jude for caring for Bowen and providing family housing. The Bowens started a fund raising program selling "Big Ben" awareness bracelets for Valentine's Day.^[8][9] The wristband project ended up raising over $120,000^[2]

The 2007 fundraising drive was a raffle for a house (called The House that Ben Built) located in Putnam County, West Virginia, which brought in $808,000.^[10][11] Governor Joe Manchin changed WV state law to make this raffle possible. As a result, St. Jude launched a WV field office that organizes all state fundraising for the hospital. In 2008 the Bowen family organized a second St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway raffle in Hurricane, WVA and raised over $1,000,000.^[12] In 2009, the third annual WV St. Jude Dream Home will expand to two locations, Milton and Morgantown, WV.^{[dated info]}

Death

Ben Bowen's last months were physically painful. Morphine did not manage his pain adequately, his body tripled in size, and he would regurgitate fecal matter. The neuropathic pain became so bad his parents could not hold him.^[13] The Bowen family are Protestant Christians and relied on their belief that God has a plan for each life and that faith requires believing God's good promises.^[4] Ben died on February 25, 2005.

Funeral Services were held on Tuesday, March 1, 2005, at River Cities Community Church in Huntington, West Virginia.^[2][14] The funeral cortege traveled on the highway that now bears Ben's name on the way to the cemetery. Survivors include his parents, an older brother Eli, two brothers and a sister born after his death. Ben's family moved to the Memphis, Tennessee area, and Tom Bowen first went to work for St. Jude Children's Hospital raising funds to cure pediatric cancer.^[13] He now is focused on creating the Childhood Cancer Network as Ben Bowen's legacy.

Honors

• Ben Bowen was the St. Jude Children's Hospital Patient of the Month for September 2004.^[15]
• Shelby County, Tennessee Sheriff Mark Luttrell declared December 6, 2004, to be Benjamin Bowen Day.^[16]

WV 193 is also called the "Big Ben" Bowen Highway.

• West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin honored Bowen's life with a special citation on February 13, 2005.^[1][17]
• The State Journal honored Bowen and his family as one of 55 Good Things about West Virginia in May, 2005^[18] This honor was published in a 2005 State Journal special issue. This story was also featured in an associated TV program, which was broadcast on a number of West Virginia Media Holdings stations.
• Huntington, West Virginia started the "Annual Big Ben 5K for Kids". It has been held each June and benefits St. Jude Children's Hospital as well as families with sick children.^[13]
• A new four lane bypass, West Virginia Route 193, near Huntington, West Virginia was named the "Big Ben" Bowen Highway in September, 2006.^[19]

Ben Bowen's influence

• Ben Bowen's story has raised almost $3,000,000 for St. Jude Children's Hospital.
• Ben Bowen and his family were featured in the 2004 Autumn issue of Saint Jude's Promise, a magazine published by the hospital. It described how the 9/11 families that that firefighter Tom Bowen helped, in turn helped Ben Bowen.^[4]
• St. Jude's Children's Hospital produced one-hour special TV show, Fighting for Life that featured Ben Bowen as one of six patients being treated for childhood cancer at Saint Jude.^[20] Alan Alda narrated Bowen's story. This special has been broadcast a number of times since its first airing in 2005 and has raised substantial funds for cancer research at St. Jude Children's Hospital.
• In 2007, WCHS Eyewitness News and Fox 11 produced a seven-part series on Ben Bowen's life and St. Jude Children's Hospital to help raise funds for Saint Jude's via a raffle for the "House That Ben Built."^[21] It raised over $800,000.^[11][13][22]

See also

Biography portal

• List of notable brain tumor patients

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Stein, Deanne (February 27, 2005). "'Big Ben" Bowen Dies". WOWK-TV, Channel 13, Charleston & Huntington, WV. http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=1158. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Stein, Deanne (March 1, 2005). "'Big Ben's' Life Celebrated". WOWK-TV, Channel 13, Charleston & Huntington, WV. http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=1224. 
3. ^ "Message From Tom". Ben's Story Website. 2004. http://www.bens-story.com/messagefromtom.html. Retrieved November 12, 2007. ^{[self-published source?]}
4. ^ ^{a b c} "Big Ben Bowen". Saint Jude Promise Magazine & Web Site. September, 2004. http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=25490307f6e70110VgnVCM1000001e0215acRCRD&vgnextchannel=96a213c016118010VgnVCM1000000e2015acRCRD&SearchUrl=search_results.jsp&QueryText=Ben%20Bowen. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 
5. ^ "See Ben's Guest Book". Ben's Story Website. 2004. http://www.bens-story.com/newsinfo.html. Retrieved 2007-07-08. ^{[self-published source?]}
6. ^ "Charity of the Month: Ben Bowen". Kathie Lee Gifford Charities. 2004. http://www.kathieleegifford.com/lamb04/charity/benbowen.php. Retrieved 2007-04-14. 
7. ^ "Ben's Big Trip to Disney World". Ben's Story Website. 2006. http://www.bens-story.com/disney.html. Retrieved 2007-04-12. ^{[self-published source?]}
8. ^ Stein, Deanne (February 15, 2005). "When Love is a Band of Blue". WOWK-TV, Channel 13, Charleston & Huntington, WV. http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=843. 
9. ^ Withum, John (February 15, 2005). "Big Ben brings big changes: Words from Withum". Parthanon Online: Student Newspaper of Marshall University. http://media.www.marshallparthenon.com/media/storage/paper534/news/2005/02/15/Opinion/Big-Ben.Brings.Big.Changes-864712.shtml. 
10. ^ "The House That Ben Built: You Can Help" (–^{Scholar search}). WCHS ABC Eyewitness News, Channel 8, Charleston, Huntington, WV. 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070927042328/http://wchstv.com/newsroom/stjude/stjude4.shtml. Retrieved 2007-04-10. ^{[dead link]}
11. ^ ^{a b} Chambers, Brian (June 17, 2007). Winner 'can't believe' St. Jude dream house is his. Herald Dispatch. http://www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070617/NEWS01/70617015/-1/NEWS13. Retrieved 2007-06-20. 
12. ^ Cline, Carrie (June 23, 2008). Ben Bowen's Legacy Still Giving. WSAZ Channel 3, Charleston, Huntington, WV. http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/20666494.html. Retrieved 2008-08-26. 
13. ^ ^{a b c d} "Ben's Story Updates - 2/19/2007 Post by Tom Bowen". Ben's Story Website. 2007. http://www.bens-story.com/updates.html. Retrieved 2007-04-14. 
14. ^ Tarkett, Jean (March 2, 2005). "Family, friends bid farewell to Ben Bowen: 2-year-old who struggled against cancer honored with balloons". Herald Dispatch. http://stevenbell.blogspot.com/2005/02/please-pray-for-our-friends.html. 
15. ^ "Patient of the Month - September 2004 Ben Bowen". Saint Jude Web Site. September, 2004. http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=1a97fa3186e70110VgnVCM1000001e0215acRCRD&vgnextchannel=39e8c9e9592e2110VgnVCM1000001e0215acRCRD&SearchUrl=search_results.jsp&QueryText=Ben%20Bowen. Retrieved 2007-04-10. 
16. ^ "Two-Year-Old Cancer Patient Deputized". WREG-TV, News Channel 3, Memphis, TN. December 6, 2004. http://wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=2656321&nav=3HvDTtG5. Retrieved 2007-04-10. 
17. ^ "Special Citation from West Virginia Governor - Ben in the News". Ben's Story Website. 2005. http://www.bens-story.com/updates/beninthenews.html. Retrieved 2007-04-12. 
18. ^ "For the 20th Year, 55 Good Things to Cheer". State Journal. May 2, 2005. http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=3021. Retrieved 2007-04-10. 
19. ^ "Big Ben Bowen Highway Named, Sept, 2006 - Ben in the News". Ben's Story Website. September, 2006. http://www.bens-story.com/updates/beninthenews.html. Retrieved 2007-04-12. 
20. ^ "Show Buz". CBS News. December 1, 2005. http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:wso8Kp3SM3sJ:www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/sections/ttv/SH7967150000.html%3Fstation%3DFAM%26date%3DFriday,%2BApril%2B27,%2B2007%26time%3D01:00%2Bam+Show+Buzz+Saint+Jude+Fighting+for+Life&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us. Retrieved 2007-04-11. 
21. ^ "Saint Jude Dream Home: The House That Ben Built". WCHS ABC Eyewitness News, Channel 8, Charleston, Huntington, WV. March, 2007. http://wchstv.com/newsroom/stjude. Retrieved 2007-04-14. 
22. ^ Rahall, Nick (June 18, 2007) (– ^{Scholar search}). Rahall Report: West Virginians Unite Behind Big Ben, St. Jude's. Rahall Report (D-WV) represents WV's Third District. Archived from the original on May 30, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070530204234/http://www.rahall.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=744&Itemid=38. Retrieved 2007-04-14. ^{[dead link]}

External links

• Ben's Story
• Find-A-Grave: Benjamin David "Big Ben" Bowen

Persondata
Name	Bowen, Ben
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	November 14, 2002
Place of birth	Huntington, West Virginia
Date of death	February 25, 2005
Place of death	Huntington, West Virginia