Why We Cook
Ben Sarrat Jr.
Ben or Lil Ben Sarrat Jr. was a normal 4 year old boy in 2008, who loved telling jokes, playing with his little brother, watching the New Orleans Saints, and especially, pretending he was a pirate! In September of 2008, his parents Erin and Ben noticed Lil Ben was not feeling well, and went to Children’s Hospital in New Orleans for tests where doctors told them the devastating news. Lil Ben was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG, an aggressive and difficult to treat tumor due to its location on the brain stem. Erin and Ben were distraught but not ready to give up. For over a year, Lil Ben endured tough radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Despite all the treatments, he still remained the sweet and lovable little boy who loved telling pirate jokes! After fighting the long battle for 14 months, Lil Ben passed away in February 2010. In memory of their son, Lil Ben, Erin and Ben have strived every year to raise money through Hogs for the Cause, for the countless other children that have also been affected by pediatric brain cancers.
Why We Cook
Margaux Nobles
Margaux Nobles was born the day after the 3rd Annual Hogs for the Cause in March of 2011. Trey Nobles, her father, was cooking at Hogs for the Cause with Ben Sarrat’s team and Cherie Nobles, her mother, was enjoying the food the day before her birth. Her Dad always jokes that Margaux enjoyed the event so much, she decided to deliver a week early! Margaux was a happy and easy going baby. When she was around 4 months old, her parents noticed that one of her eyelids was droopy and that one of her pupils did not dilate. This led to a diagnoses of Horner’s Syndrome caused by stage 4S Neuroblastoma. “If her head is a grapefruit, then the tumor inside is the size of a plum,” were the words her surgeon used to describe the tumor. Trey’s first call was to Ben, who helped him cope with Margaux’s diagnosis and then continued to help him throughout Margaux’s treatment at Children’s Hospital. A grant from Hogs for the Cause as well as the love and support of friends and family helped the Nobles family though the financial fight of battling pediatric cancer. After two 8 month courses of chemotherapy, Margaux’s tumor had disintegrated and her bone marrow was clear of cancer cells. Her follow-up scans are now on an annual basis and she remains cancer free. The Nobles family feels blessed that their child survived her ordeal and continue to work with Hog Dat Nation and Hogs for the Cause in order to help others know the joy of defeating pediatric cancer.
