Garden inspired by brave Derbyshire girl who lost cancer battle to appear on BBC programme

A brave little Derbyshire girl who lost her battle with cancer is the inspiration behind a special garden at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Live.
Megan was just 11 when she lost her battle with cancer.Megan was just 11 when she lost her battle with cancer.
Megan was just 11 when she lost her battle with cancer.

The Children with Cancer UK Strength of Humanity Garden has been designed by award-winning gardener Ben Stubbs in close collaboration with Andrea and Julian Darke, from Belper.

The couple lost their youngest daughter Megan to ependymona, a rare form of brain cancer, in 2016.

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She was just 11-years-old and had fought the disease for five yea

'The gardens overall design, carefully chosen plants and meaningful features represent the fear, strength, love and vulnerability families experience during diagnosis and treatment.''The gardens overall design, carefully chosen plants and meaningful features represent the fear, strength, love and vulnerability families experience during diagnosis and treatment.'
'The gardens overall design, carefully chosen plants and meaningful features represent the fear, strength, love and vulnerability families experience during diagnosis and treatment.'

Andrea said: “Megan continued to smile every day until her body wouldn’t allow her anymore. We hold on to that thought and take strength from knowing she coped, so we should too.”

Andrea is now studying horticulture part-time at Derby College.

She said: “Over the last few years, I have found solace in gardening, and welcome the preoccupation of learning something new.

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“This garden raises awareness of childhood cancer and Children with Cancer UK’s efforts to improve and save young lives.

"It also highlights the role gardening can have on our general wellbeing and healing process – it’s been a great opportunity to be involved in its creation.”

The garden is set within a mostly dark, subdued woodland with trees, underplanting and sculptures to represent some of the emotions associated with experiences of childhood cancer.

The inner area is more colourful and joyful with an ‘End of Treatment Bell’ sculpture at its centre.

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Megan’s friends, and others affected by childhood cancer, have written messages of strength and hope which have been woven into the bell sculpture.

The garden also acknowledges other children who have lost their lives to cancer.

Ben Stubbs, of Lush Gardens North East and winner of Best Border, BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Subscriber 2018, said: “The garden’s overall design, carefully chosen plants and meaningful features represent the fear, strength, love and vulnerability families experience during diagnosis and treatment.

“The garden also highlights the strength of the human spirit, especially in children, which often shines through during intensely difficult times.”

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Every day, an average of 12 families in the UK receive the devastating news that their child has cancer.

More than 4,500 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK.

The aim of the Children with Cancer UK Strength of Humanity Garden is to raise awareness of the crucial role the charity plays in developing better, less toxic treatments to save young lives and improve the quality of survival in children and young people.

The garden will be on show at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Live from 13-16 June at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC).

For more information about Children with Cancer UK, visit childrenwithcancer.org.uk.

For further details and show tickets, visit bbcgardenersworldlive.com.

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