Liz Hatton, 17, hit the headlines when she was pictured hugging Kate whereas she was at Windsor Fort to take pictures of William at an investiture ceremony.

She died in late November and her household at the moment are elevating cash to arrange the primary charity devoted to analysis into desmoplastic small spherical cell tumour (DSRCT) – the uncommon and aggressive sarcoma Liz was recognized with 10 months earlier in January.

As they gathered along with her buddies in her house city of Harrogate, to recollect her life on Wednesday, her mom, Vicky Robayna mentioned: “Seventeen-year-olds shouldn’t be dying as a result of we haven’t spent sufficient cash discovering out how we will repair the issue.”

Mrs Robayna mentioned: “Liz died two weeks in the past, and she or he very positively didn’t desire a funeral.

“She donated her physique to medical analysis, and she or he needed a celebration, not a funeral.

“In order that’s what we’re right here doing – an exhibition of her pictures, consuming her very favorite snacks, and hopefully elevating plenty of cash to cease different households shedding their youngsters from desmoplastic small spherical cell tumour.”

Photograph taken by Liz Hatton, 17, of Tom Hardy attending the Venom premiere

Mrs Robayna mentioned: “Liz was inspirational. She was good, lovely, humble, proficient and essentially the most modest particular person you possibly can ever meet.

“She had no consciousness of how unbelievable she was, and I feel that’s a giant cause why folks fell in love along with her a lot, as a result of she by no means understood the curiosity.

“She by no means was bothered about folks understanding her identify, she needed folks to see her pictures, and she or he needed to make a distinction.”

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Scores of individuals arrived on the ballroom within the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Lodge to view Liz’s pictures and to partake of her favorite snacks, together with lemon drizzle cake, salt-and-vinegar Discos and worldwide sweets.

Liz Hatton, 17, and Mateo Robayna taken on a Disney Dream Ship in August 2024

As a part of her bucket record, the Yorkshire teenager photographed comic Michael McIntyre, circus performers, the Royal Ballet, fashions from the Storm Mannequin Company, London Air Ambulances from a helipad, resort doormen, the pink carpet on the MTV Europe Music Awards and joined acclaimed British photographer Rankin to guide a vogue shoot.

Mrs Robayna mentioned: “Taking pictures modified Liz’s life and made the final 10 months of her life, and particularly the final two, one of the best of her life.

“She was so poorly, however she obtained up each morning with a smile on her face, trying ahead to what she was going to do this day.

“If she wasn’t in hospital, she was out taking pictures.

“She by no means mentioned ‘why me’, she mentioned ‘let’s profit from each single second’ and that’s completely what she did.”

Liz Hatton taken throughout London Trend Week in 2024

Thus far, the enchantment began by Liz’s household has raised greater than £40,000 in direction of its £100,000 goal.

Mrs Robayna mentioned: “The legacy we would like Liz to have is of her kindness, her bravery and her dedication, but additionally of her ardour for making a distinction to different folks.

“Liz set us one last merchandise on the bucket record, and that was to lift sufficient cash to cease different folks going by way of desmoplastic small spherical cell tumour with no efficient remedy.

“So we’re going to launch the primary charity on this planet for desmoplastic small spherical cell tumour, and we’re hopefully going to make that worldwide to lift cash to fund analysis and to help households going by way of the situation.”

She mentioned there was lower than a one-in-a-million probability of her daughter getting the illness, as solely 12 folks within the UK obtained it yearly and 80 per cent of these had been males.

Mrs Robayna mentioned: “Liz lived lower than 10 months from her analysis, not as a result of we will’t discover a remedy, however as a result of there’s no funding for it.

“It’s so uncommon, so there’s no funding from governments, there’s no funding from pharmaceutical corporations, no charities arrange for it.

Vicky Robayna with pictures of solid member of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, taken by her daughter Liz Hatton, 17, forward of a celebration of the lifetime of the teenage photographer on the Doubletree By Hilton Harrogate Majestic Lodge & Spa.

“The one funding that goes on is funded independently by mother and father, and it’s time to galvanise the troops and make it higher, as a result of 17-year-olds shouldn’t be dying as a result of we haven’t spent sufficient cash discovering out how we will repair the issue.”

Liz’s eight-year-old brother Mateo confirmed folks across the exhibition, mentioning a few photos his sister had taken of him.

He mentioned his favourites had been ones Liz had snapped of her shut buddies.

Mateo mentioned: “She was unbelievable. She was very sort to different folks. She beloved her sweets, she beloved her Discos and she or he beloved her lemon drizzle cake.”

Mateo mentioned: “Actually, this shouldn’t be occurring to such younger folks, so please assist. We would like it to go straight to analysis.”

He mentioned: “She would in all probability say proper now ‘don’t care about me, care about different folks, as a result of I’ve already misplaced my life’.”

William and Kate expressed their disappointment following Liz’s demise, saying it was “an honour to have met such a courageous and humble younger girl”.

Donations can made at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/vicky-robayna.