He became a nationwide figure almost overnight by harnessing the energy of social media, using Twitter and Facebook to spread his message and direct folks to his Just Giving web webpage. Through “micro-donations” of just a handful of lbs per person, he raised a total which stood at £3.5 million on Wednesday evening, which includes £300,000 donated after his death.
David Cameron, who met Mr Sutton earlier this month, led the tributes, saying a “very, very vivid light” had gone out.
The Prime Minister explained: “I can hardly consider of any individual I’ve met with this kind of a zest for lifestyle, and such a belief that you can get things completed.”
Mr Sutton, from Burntwood, Staffs, was diagnosed with metastatic bowel cancer aged 15, following six months of ache in which his family’s fears that he had cancer have been repeatedly dismissed by medical doctors.
A county regular athlete and a youth player for Walsall FC, he left college with straight A-grades and was interviewed by Cambridge University, exactly where he wished to study medicine. He withdrew his application after currently being advised in November 2012 that the cancer had spread to his groin and pelvis, but he refused to dwell on what may have occurred if he had been diagnosed earlier.
The comedian Jason Manford, who met Mr Sutton following a show to increase money for the TCT, stated: “He wasn’t even bitter about having a short life, he wasn’t angry he was obtaining to depart the get together early, he was just satisfied that he had ever been invited.”
Realising he would by no means be a physician, he just readjusted his sights on fundraising and started a blog in January 2013. It incorporated a “bucket list” of 46 items he wished to do ahead of he died, which led to him skydiving and playing the drums in front of 90,000 folks ahead of the Champions League final at Wembley final May.
But leading of his list was his ambition to increase £10,000 for the Teenage Cancer Believe in, which he rapidly surpassed right after his appeal went viral on the net.
It accelerated in April, when he published a picture of himself smiling in his hospital bed, admitting the finish was near, with the phrases: “It’s a ultimate thumbs-up from me.” Manford began a #thumbsupforStephen Twitter campaign, bringing support from hundreds of 1000′s of people such as celebrities like Benedict Cumberbatch, David Tennant, Jimmy Carr and Jonathan Ross.
Remarkably, Mr Sutton made a temporary recovery following he “coughed up” a tumour, providing him a treasured handful of extra days. In a normally upbeat Facebook posting on May eight, he wrote: “I truly see myself as very fortunate — despite being incurable for a whilst I have had a sustained time period of really great wellness … My disease is quite superior and will get me eventually, but I will consider my damn hardest to be right here as prolonged as achievable.”
Manford stated: “The cause we took to him so passionately was simply because he was better than us. He did anything none of us could even think about performing.”
The Teenage Cancer Trust said Mr Sutton had left a legacy that would make an “enormous difference” to the seven young people diagnosed with cancer each and every day, with an announcement on how the cash would be spent to be created soon.
Timeline
Sept 2010 Aged 15, Stephen is diagnosed with bowel cancer. Has surgical treatment and six months of chemotherapy. Achieves 5A*s and 4As in his GCSEs.
Summer season 2011 Told he is in remission.
Oct 2011 Finds lump in his leg. A lot more surgical treatment and 30 sessions of radiotherapy comply with.
June 2012 Will get A* in A-degree maths and A-grades in AS biology, chemistry, physics and psychology. Tumour in his leg returns, cancer spreads to groin and pelvis.
Nov 2012 Advised cancer is incurable.
Jan 2013 Begins Stephen’s Story website on Facebook, including bucket listing of 46 things he desires to do before he dies. At the prime is “raise £10,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust”. He will obtain 34 of his wishes, such as sky-diving, getting a tattoo, hugging an elephant and playing the drums before the Champions League final at Wembley.
March 5 2013 Getting raised his £10,000 target he sets a new target of £50,000, which rapidly goes up to £100,000.
June 24 2013 Launches personal YouTube channel.
Feb 7 2014 Total raised reaches £500,000.
March 26 Meets Jason Manford and other comics at Royal Albert Hall fundraising concert.
April 22 Posts on Facebook a “final thumbs up” picture taken in hospital, saying: “It’s a shame the finish has come so abruptly.” Following Manford launches #thumbsupfor Stephen Twitter campaign, the site goes viral.
April 27 Problem improves after he coughs up a tumour. Net trolls query the reality of his story. Fundraising passes £2m.
May two Fundraising reaches £3m. Stephen meets David Cameron and is launched from hospital. He is told he may be eligible for a new trial drug.
Could 4 Sets Guinness World Record for the most folks creating a heart-shaped indicator collectively (554).
May possibly 11 Posts his last message on Facebook, saying he is back in hospital but “there is no quick panic”. Jokes that it is “inconvenient” because he was due to seem on BBC Breakfast.
Could 13 Stephen’s household say his lung tumours have regrown.
May 14 Stephen’s mother announces his death via his Facebook weblog.
Stephen Sutton: zest for lifestyle that inspired a nation to give
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