One of the first stories we ever featured in About Tameside ten years ago was the formation a charity that had formed from the despair of losing a two year old little boy. On the 21^st August 2012 the parents of Reuben Graham kissed Reuben goodbye when he went to sleep for a final time.  Reuben, who was almost two years old, had been poorly for some time but the true extent of his illness was not apparent until he was too weak to battle against a vicious brain tumour.

Reuben took poorly whilst on holiday in Devon and after a few days of feeling sick parents Nicola and Mike took him along to the Doctor. Expecting to pick up a simple prescription for antibiotics and sent away with a prescription, the toddler was airlifted to a specialist unit in Bristol where it was confirmed he had a rare atypical terratoid rhabdoid tumour.   On August 21st,  just a week after the condition had been diagnosed, with organs failing and suffering heart attacks,   the heart breaking decision had to be made to switch off his life support machine. Parents Mike and Nicola returned to Mottram with his younger brother Isaac setting a goal to help other families build memories with their sick children with the formation of Reuben’s Retreat.  Said Nicola  “ We wanted a charity in memory of our beautiful boy. To ensure something good comes out of him going to heaven at 23 months old. “  The story caught the publics imagination across the country and Nicola’s dream came true when Reuben’s Retreat opened in Glossop to offer a wide variety of services such as complex illness support, beareavment support,  counselling and talking therapies,  activity and fun days and so much more. You can find more information about the charity online by visiting www.reubensretreat.org.  This month you can help fundraising by supporting  a special event at Oaklands Hall on October 23^rd  12noon until 5pm. It will feature a SOS Fashion Show and live entertainment from the Rock Choir – email jacque.garside1@gmail.com or call 01457 863687