Teen photographer's bucket list appeal nears £100k

Liz's family are close to reaching their fundraising goal

The family of a teenage photographer who died from cancer have nearly hit their £100,000 fundraising target.

Liz Hatton, 17, from Harrogate, began a photography bucket list appeal in January after she was diagnosed with an aggressive desmoplastic small round cell tumour.

Her family began raising money to help fund research into the disease following her death in November.

Mother Vicky Robayna said: "We keep going because we're busy. If we stop and think, then life is very hard. Doing this is something we can do for her."

The family now hope to raise the final few thousand pounds at a weekend event at Fewston Parochial Hall near Harrogate, where Liz's photos will be on display.

Speaking to BBC Radio York, Ms Robayna said: "Whatever we raise will be incredible and get us a little bit closer to that £100,000 goal and that first piece of research which would be utterly incredible."

Liz's photos will be on display at Fewston Parochial Hall near Harrogate

The family said they had submitted paperwork to create a registered charity, which had helped keep them going.

"Children in 2025 shouldn't be dying because there hasn't been enough research done to find out whether there's a cure or not," Ms Robayna added.

Ms Robayna said that Liz and her brother were exceptionally close

"Once we've got the first piece of research done, then our plan is to do some gathering of the desmoplastic small round cell tumour community in the UK."

The teenager's mother said there were also longer term plans for the charity to support other families.

"Liz and her brother were exceptionally close and she always said she wasn't scared of dying, she was scared of leaving him behind.

"She didn't want other siblings to go through that."

In March, Liz's photos will go on tour and feature at the photography and videography exhibition at the London Excel.

Ms Robayna said: "She would have loved that so many people are seeing her pictures."

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