The blog has over 400,000 hits. The Facebook page has over 50,000 likes. Countless have been touched by the story of Ben Sauer, “a little boy waiting on a miracle.”
When her four year-old son Ben was diagnosed with Stage IV Glioblastoma, a rare cancer typically found in adults, Houghton alumna Mindy Sauer took to the web to blog about the journey of her little boy and the vitality of her faith. From her point of view, the mission of her blog was simple. As she wrote in one of her blog posts, “For whatever reason, God is using our circumstances to draw people to Him. So many stories, just like this one, of people being drawn to God because of how they’ve seen Him throughout our story. The world does not revolve around us. We are just one piece of the puzzle. And people are watching to see how God will move.”
The prognosis for surviving glioblastoma is not a good one. Indeed, the doctors told Mindy Sauer and her husband that Ben’s chances of survival rests, at best, at about three percent. Nevertheless, as Mindy Sauer wrote on her blog, the Sauer family has chosen not to respond in resignation, but instead to rely on God “who has a higher purpose for our ‘mighty’ Benjamin and that He will work a miracle in his life.”
Writing at bensauer.blogspot.com, Mindy Sauer has been busy communicating the story of her family through stories that are visceral, raw, and honest. She writes about a family vacation in Orlando, where a native western New York family discarded its winter coats for swimsuits; a chance for the Sauers to take a break from reality. She tells stories of Ben, of “mini-miracles,” of instances in her life (both now and in the past) where she felt truly touched by God.
Not surprisingly, friends of the Sauer family have created a campaign, “Blue4Ben,” to show support and be a center for charitable donations to help offset the family’s medical bills. Thanks in part to Mindy Sauer’s writing and heart-tugging stories, Blue4Ben has gained awareness not just in the region, but around the world. Various colleges, the city of Buffalo companies, Jet Blue airlines, along with many others have all participated in Blue4Ben and gave generous donations to the family. Flicking through the Facebook album “Going blue4ben,” one can see schools, soldiers, newsrooms, businesses, and even Donald Trump arrayed in blue–an obvious indicator of the traction that this campaign has received.
Even Houghton has been swept in the wave of blue. On Tuesday, March 14, the Houghton students, faculty, and community members were asked to wear blue to raise awareness. Anthony Petrillo, Houghton Academy’s network administrator, explained that the Academy also began involvement in the campaign. Over the past week a video about Ben’s story was shown in chapel to create awareness. The video was followed by a ticket sale allowing students to dress down for a day from their normal school uniforms. Proceeds from the ticket sale went directly to the Sauer family to help offset medical costs.
Bruce Brenneman, former Houghton professor and family friend to the Sauers, spoke highly of the Sauer’s love for their children and faithfulness in God through these difficult times. “It’s a heart-warming story and the strongest thing about it is that even in the midst of such tragedy they’ve been able to speak so strongly of their faith and the fact that Ben is a gift to them,” said Brenneman, “It’s impacted hundreds and hundreds.”
For those interested in learning more about Ben and the Blue4Ben campaign, visit Mindy Sauer’s blog at bensauer.blogspot.com or her website, blue4ben.com. As she says on her blog, the greatest way that you can begin to help is through prayer for Ben. Bracelets are also being sold through her website. Additionally, bracelets will be available in the CAB office starting today. Those seeking additional ways to create more involvement on campus can contact Greg Bish at greg.bish@houghton.edu.