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A song has been released in memory of an 11-year-old boy who died of an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Tragic Silas Pullen, from Faversham, died in December 2013, just over a year after he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumour.
His courageous family has raised more than £170,000 in his name for the Brain Tumour Charity, pulling together crucial cash and raising awareness of the disease.
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And their fundraising venture is a song written by one of Silas’s friends.
Song for Silas is now on sale on iTunes and the family is encouraging as many people as possible to listen, watch and buy the record in a bid to “give other families the hope they never had”.
Silas, who attended Wellesley House School in Broadstairs, had suffered just two days of headaches before being rushed to hospital in a life-threatening condition.
Video: A song for Silas
It was then that doctors delivered the devastating news that he had as little as 12 months to live.
After undergoing further brain surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, Silas’s parents Sarah and Ben were left dumbfounded that even on relapse, his only option was drugs which were 40 years old – there were no new drugs available and no new trials.
“Although, his future was stolen from him by a devastating disease, Silas never stopped smiling..." - Sarah Pullen
Sarah said: “We found it unbearable that in this day and age, his death couldn’t even help other children down the line.
“Although, his future was stolen from him by a devastating disease with few new treatment options, Silas never stopped smiling.
“When our family friend and musician James Gale heard of Silas’s death, he wrote the song in memory of his young friend who had loved music and danced and sang up on stage with James at his gigs only a few months earlier.”
With the help of artists Toby Grafftey-Smith, Ash Soan, Rob Harris and Paul Turner, who have all worked with the likes of Faithless, The Waterboys and Jamiroquai, and music students Gavin Dodd and Josh Vane, they had the final track laid down at professional recording studios.
To download the song, click here.
Ben added: “We set up the Silas Pullen Fund to raise money for the Brain Tumour Charity after Silas’ death and are hoping the song will help to increase awareness about this devastating disease.
“Funding for brain tumours desperately needs to be increased to give other children a fighting chance and their families more hope – survival rates have changed little over the last 40 years unlike other cancers.
“It’s time to change this.”
In the month's leading up to Silas' death, the family put together videos and images of their battle against "Bob", the name they gave to Silas's tumour.
Read more about their fight against cancer here.
To donate to the Silas Pullen Fund, click here.
Band Jam Sandwich will be hosting a gig on Friday, May 8 at the Abbey School in Faversham to raise cash for the Silas Pullen Fund.
Tickets will go on sale at the end of March.
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