The mum of talented photographer Liz Hatton has thanked the Princess of Wales – as funds from the sale of her pictures have helped kickstart a pioneering research project into her rare cancer. Liz, 17, who died in November after a 10-month battle with desmoplastic small round cell tumour, touched hearts when she was pictured hugging Kate at Windsor Castle.
The meeting led to a string of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for the teen, including leading a fashion shoot with acclaimed snapper Rankin. Now, through the sale of her work and other fundraisers, Liz’s family has managed to raise £100,000 – which they’re using to launch a first-of-its-kind research paper into her condition.
Sharing the news exclusively with the Mirror, Liz’s mum Vicky Robayna said: “We are thrilled – the research will help people in those terrifying early stages after diagnosis get the support and information they need so they can make the most of the time they have, which is all Liz wanted.
“Meeting the Prince and Princess of Wales meant so many more people were aware of Liz’s story, her type of cancer and her photography. So in a lot of ways they have made this possible and we are very grateful to them for doing that.”Liz died less than a year after being diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumour, which affects just 12 youngsters each year. Very little information currently exists on the condition, which is something Vicky hopes the project will change.
She continued: “The single most stressful thing in those early days after Liz’s diagnosis was the fear of missing the one thing that could make a difference, that could prolong or give her a better quality of life. What the project will do is compile all the studies and research conducted on DSRCT into one place, to give families the peace of mind that they’re doing all they can.
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“Knowing that other families won’t have to go through what we went through, thanks to this research, is incredible.” The project, starting in January, will be led by the University of York and the Children and Young People’s Cancer Association.
Ashley Ball-Gamble, CEO of the Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, said: “The unwavering dedication, drive and commitment of Vicky, and her family, friends and supporters to changing the future for young people with desmoplastic small round cell tumour is incredible.
“They’ve achieved so much with their fundraising, all inspired by Liz, and we’re proud to now support them with their next step by using our expertise to help them fund research into this form of cancer. Due to its rarity, currently very little is known about DSRCT and therefore makes its treatment very difficult.
“We hope the research will offer new insights which will be able to guide treatments and build a solid foundation for further studies by identifying gaps in our knowledge and questions that need answering.”
Kate marked International Women’s Day in March with a touching post honouring the talented photographer after she passed from cancer in November 2024.
The royal wrote: “Celebrating the strength, resilience and creativity of Liz and her mother Vicky, it was an honour meeting them both at Windsor in November. Liz’s memory lives on in Vicky’s unwavering resilience. Thank you for such a moving moment.”
Princess Kate’s tribute was shared alongside a photo of the royal embracing Liz when the pair first met at Windsor Castle last year, as well as another of her and Prince William posing with Liz and her family.
Liz’s family is now fundraising for a second research project. Click here to donate
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