Father turns daughter’s laughter into lasting tribute after losing her to rare cancer

A north London father who lost his one-year-old daughter to an exceptionally rare cancer has turned her laughter, artwork and memory into a charity song celebrating what he calls her “big little life”.

Big Little Life (Cece’s Song) was written by Ben Ziff in memory of his daughter Celine, who died in 2025, aged one year and 19 days after being diagnosed with an extrarenal rhabdoid tumour, a highly aggressive childhood cancer.

The song, which raises money for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, features recordings of Celine’s laugh and is accompanied by artwork she helped create alongside her twin brother Jesse and older sister Luna.

For Ben and his wife, Sophia, the project was born out of a determination to ensure their daughter’s legacy would be defined by joy rather than loss.

“This is not a sad song, although it comes from a very sad story,” said Ben.

“There was so much joy in Celine’s life. She had a huge personality, she demanded attention, and she made an enormous impact on all of us.

“As a family, we wanted to create something that captures who she really was.

“My only endeavour was not to become a victim of the grief. I wanted to tell Celine’s story and create something positive that celebrates her life and forms part of her legacy.

“I’m reaching the point where I feel so lucky and happy to have known her.”

Celine spent much of her short life receiving treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital after being diagnosed with the rare condition, which affects only a tiny number of children worldwide.

The song was created with London-based singer-songwriter Bertie, who began working with Ben just weeks after Celine’s death. The pair spent six months writing and developing the track.

Bertie, who had recently experienced the loss of his own mother, said the project became deeply personal.

“When someone passes away, people often say, ‘If there is anything I can do, let me know.’ When Ben asked me to write a song about Celine, I initially didn’t know whether I could do it.

“Working on this became a second process of grief after losing my mum. It was incredibly uplifting, and there were a lot of parallels between our experiences.

“From the beginning, we knew we didn’t want this to be a sad song. It needed to feel true to Celine and do something meaningful for her. I’m very proud of what we’ve created.”

The recording was produced by Ru Lemer and mastered at London’s Air Studios by Grammy-winning engineer John Webber. Ben, Bertie and Lemer all contribute vocals.

The cover artwork for the single comes from a painting created by Celine and her siblings. A video showing the children making the artwork appears alongside the song on Spotify.

The project is also expected to be the first in a series of initiatives honouring Celine’s memory, including future work with Camp Simcha, which supported the family during her illness.

Reflecting on his daughter’s impact, Ben said: “She was only with our family for one year and 19 days, but the happiness she brought and the impact she had were enormous.
“She had a little life, but it was a big little life.”

Big Little Life (Cece’s Song) is available on major streaming platforms, with proceeds supporting Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.