Stan our youngest child and only brother to our 3 girls developed a brain tumour and died in March 2020.

Stan had been unwell as an infant but had recovered exceptionally well to become the life and soul of our family. Until that is, he was about to leave primary school we were told that a recent MRI had shown worrying changes in his brain. Four weeks after the end of primary school he had surgery to remove a very rare tumour APXA Anaplastic Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma.

This first surgery to attempt to remove the tumour caused a stroke on his right side, Stan spent the next two months in hospital learning how to walk, talk and adapt to life changing disabilities including lossing much of his sight. Not one to complain he adjusted quite well with the help of his sisters and various cancer support groups.

In the new year Stan turned to nature photography by way of documenting his daily life, he excelled at it, so much so that an exhibition of his work was planned in the local gallery for June 2019.

The news was not good in the spring of that year and it was decided to attempt a 2nd surgery on Valentines Day in Liverpool. Unfortunately, this caused another stroke and was unsuccessful at removing all of the aggressive tumour.

Undeterred Stan continued to take photos and we searched the world for a medical team who could help him.

Through his exhibition in Armagh and a subsequent one in Dublin Stan raised close to £20,000 for various children’s cancer charities through the sale of his photos.

One of his favourite subjects to photograph was flowers, so, we decided to attempt to start a small flower farm to give us all a focus during his illness. Tragically Stan died March 25th 2020 just as our first tulips were coming into bloom. This was the first week of lockdown.

Devasted and isolated due to covid, we turned to nature to lament and in search of some solace. Stan would have loved all the work we have done and how our forest (which he and his sisters helped to plant in March 2017) has thrived.

We are developing a number a different projects to help support others through tough times

The flower farm blossomed but we found it emotionally difficult to sell the fresh flowers so, have dried as much as possible for use in workshops and in that way Stan’s story is told by new people who never knew him but get to know how amazing he was through what we do.

Ian Paula Mollie Olive Ella