On 22nd October at 5:12am we were gifted with the early arrival of our son Phoenix Harry Luke Benson at 37 weeks 2 days weighing just 6lb 4oz, 5 weeks and 2 days later on 28th November 2019 our world was shattered when our beautiful boy fell asleep for the last time.

Throughout his short life we dealt with so much as a family, a difficult delivery, a postpartum haemorrhage immediately following his arrival, maternal sepsis & neonatal jaundice resulting in Phoenix & mummy staying at James Cook, then daily trips for IV antibiotics, we spent most of the first 3 weeks of his life at the hospital. Throughout this time we received exemplary care from all at South Tees trust, everybody went above and beyond to look after our beautiful boy & us, they supported us going home and at home they continued to care for us & do everything they could to help us recover & give Phoenix the start to life he deserved.

On the night he passed we were by his side as the doctors, midwives & nurses fought with everything they had to save our beautiful boy, again went above & beyond for him and us, and when they could do no more the compassion & love they showed us we don't even have words for. Their hearts broken alongside ours those wonderful people dressed, cleaned and helped us hold our boy, and held us together when our world fell apart.

When he passed we didn't know how we would go on with our lives and we still don’t, there is an emptiness that is our constant companion & the world we live in feels like it belongs to someone else.

We don’t feel strong but together we made a promise to our Phoenix that we would try each day, we would try to take a step for him, to get stronger & healthier, to do him proud and make the world a better place in his name, so far we have managed it, without a doubt we are broken, and there is no easy fun filled escape for us but every day since then we've made the same promise and kept it, we'll keep trying every day for him.

Phoenix touched so many lives in the short time he was with us and we are so lucky to have so many people now doing incredible things in his name;

Last year I gained a place in London marathon which I deferred to 2020 due to being pregnant with Phoenix, promised my baby bird I will train for and run London for him, I will honour him by getting strong again and being a mum he can be proud of, Every mile I run, every day I run and every race I run this year I'm doing for this cause. It's not going to be easy, I'm not a runner anymore, I'm a broken mother, but I'm fighting myself to honour my boy.

Daddy has worked everyday to train hard to build his fitness & strength and he is undertaking two challenges this year, he is taking part in Northallerton 10k road race & participating in a charity boxing match. These are going to be huge for him as he’s not a sporty person in the slightest, he has suffered with health problems for a long time and is overcoming these things to honour his little spaceman.

We also have a number of amazing friends & family taking on personal challenges in Phoenix’s name, it is incredible the things that are being done to keep his memory alive.

So please help us to help the neonatal unit at South Tees trust.

Thank you for taking the time to read our page

All our love

Sarah, Luke & Phoenix

From the ashes, a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring.

J.R.R. Tolkien