He turned 4 and learned he had cancer.

The disease ended the life of Warwick's Benjamin Haight in August 2003. He was 9.

Now, legislation sponsored by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, R-R.I., to expand childhood cancer prevention research, inspired in part by the Haight family of Warwick, is headed to President Bush's desk after securing Congressional approval, according to Reed's office.

"When I was told that our son, Ben, had a mass in his abdomen, I thought 'it can't be cancer; he's only 4 years old,'" said Nancy Haight in the statement from Reed's office. "Unfortunately, 2 days later, on February 14, 1999, my worst fears were confirmed; he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a very aggressive pediatric cancer.

"Ben fought so valiantly and with such spirit. It was inconceivable to us that a better treatment for this disease did not exist; and very little progress has been made since that day."

Ben lost his battle with cancer, but "we continue on, trying to bring attention to this problem," she said

Reed's office said the legislation will "encourage and expand support for pediatric cancer research" by authorizing $30 million yearly for the next five years for biomedical research programs at the National Cancer Institute. And it will set up a national, "population-based childhood cancer registry" to evaluate trends of childhood cancers and research into the disease's genetic and environmental causes.

The bill passed in the Senate yesterday. The House of Representatives approved it on June 12.

Haight said her dream is that when the Haights' other son, Nick, has his own children, a cancer diagnosis "will no longer be as devastating as it is today."

See text of and other information about the bill, S.911.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney