Stephen Sutton vigil to celebrate young cancer victim"s lifestyle and inspiration

Stephen Sutton died on 14 May soon after a 4-yr battle towards bowel cancer, in the course of which he set an inspirational example of residing with the ailment. Photograph: PA

An inspirational teenager cancer victim’s memory will never ever be forgotten due to the fact of the example he set in dealing with the terminal disease, a charity boss has stated.

A two-day vigil will on Thursday at Lichfield cathedral in Staffordshire for Stephen Sutton, who succumbed to a number of tumours on 14 Could after raising practically £4m for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The trust’s chief executive, Siobhan Dunn, said it was tough to overstate the significance of Sutton’s function in raising awareness about the condition in youthful men and women.

Wellwishers will be in a position to spend their respects and say a final goodbye to the 19-yr-previous, whose dignity and zest for existence in the late stages of his ailment attracted consideration across the globe.

“I believe what is actually essential is Stephen will in no way be forgotten simply because he, like each and every youthful person who is diagnosed with cancer, lives on in the operate that we do,” Dunn stated. “They are a very essential part of our operate and Stephen’s an extraordinary young guy who has had the most incredible influence on the lives of so several youthful individuals with cancer.

“I feel it’s truly essential there’s a public celebration of Stephen’s life and I believe that is specifically what he would have needed.

“He was searching for us to put the exciting into his funeral so hopefully we’re going to do that.”

Sutton’s smiling encounter is portrayed on many pictures inside Lichfield cathedral, and a team of volunteers have dressed the stone dais where his coffin will lie in bright yellow and white flowers.

Dunn stated it was proper to celebrate Sutton’s lifestyle and that he would not have needed it any other way.

“It is just a fantastic possibility,and the family are delighted to be ready to give people the chance of coming together just to celebrate his life,” she mentioned.

Sutton’s mom, Jane, has asked that individuals do not put on black to the vigil, and to “do anything to make others content”.

Sutton, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 15, invested the rest of his lifestyle raising awareness about the condition in younger individuals and had embarked on a bucket record.

Ahead of his death, he mentioned: “I do not see the point in measuring daily life in terms of time any longer. I’d rather measure daily life in terms of producing a variation.”

Dunn mentioned Sutton’s illustration in sustaining a positive outlook had been as crucial as the cash he had raised.

“Usually, like Stephen, younger individuals deal with their cancer sickness with fantastic humour and it is quite crucial to have a optimistic mental frame of mind,” she explained.

“It is some thing Teenage Cancer Trust truly focuses on in terms of the companies and support that we give.

“We build units for men and women to come with each other and get help from other youthful folks in an environment that is as non-clinical as feasible, and younger people supporting other young people is totally critical. It is a truly crucial portion of our function.”

She said Sutton’s family members had told her they had been overwhelmed by the public’s outpouring of adore and goodwill.

It is estimated that as a lot of as forty,000 individuals may possibly attend the vigil.

Stephen Sutton vigil to celebrate young cancer victim"s lifestyle and inspiration