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. The tumor proved to be a very aggressive, rare, and fast-growing atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor. The Bowens transferred to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in March 2004. Ben's initial treatments included four brain surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. During this treatment period, Ben Bowen picked up the nickname "Big Ben" because of his "big" demeanor, bravery and smile. 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, the Bowen family took Ben Bowen on a special two-week trip to Disney World, where they celebrated his second birthday.
Fundraising
The Bowens wanted to create a legacy in their son's name and thank Saint Jude Hospital for caring for Bowen and providing family housing. The Bowens started a fund raising program selling "Big Ben" awareness bracelets for Valentine's Day. The wristband project ended up raising over US$120,000 The 2007 fundraising drive was a raffle for a house located in Putnam County, West Virginia, which brought in $808,000. GovernorJoe 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. The third annual WV St. Jude Dream Home was scheduled to expand to two locations, Milton and Morgantown, WV, in 2009.
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 severe, his parents could not hold him. 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. Ben died on February 25, 2005. Funeral Services were held on Tuesday, March 1, 2005, at River Cities Community Church in Huntington, West Virginia. 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 two sisters 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 pediatriccancer, later working on creating the as Ben Bowen's legacy.
Honors
Ben Bowen was the St. Jude Children's Hospital Patient of the Month for September 2004.
West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin honored Bowen's life with a special on February 13, 2005.
The State Journal honored Bowen and his family as one of in May, 2005 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.
Ben Bowen's story has raised almost $4 million 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 firefighter Tom Bowen helped, in turn helped Ben Bowen.
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. 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." It raised over $800,000.
