Liz Hatton, 17, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, died in the early hours of Wednesday morning, her mother Vicky Robayna wrote on social media.
Liz made, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in January, made headlines back in June after Vicky posted her bucket list on X, formerly Twitter.
She was invited by Catherine, Princess of Wales, another keen photographer and cancer patient, to Windsor Castle in October to take pictures of Prince William at an investiture.
Catherine and William described Liz as a “talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both.
Liz got her first camera when she was 10 years old, and when I spoke to her in June she said:
“There’s just been a bit of a shift in what’s normal," Liz told Digital Camera World, "I used to be very focused on school work, but I’ve stopped that completely now. If I only have around three years left to live, what's the point in A-levels?”
She said she got a huge amount of comfort from her Canon EOS R6, which was given to her by a Canon ambassador:
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“I was gifted my current camera by a very kind photographer who is a Canon ambassador and works for Getty Images,” said Liz, “He drove all the way from the south of England to spend a day at my house, and taught me how to use it when I first got diagnosed. I’m very grateful to him for giving me something that has given me so much pleasure ever since.”
Vicky wrote about her daughter on X:
“Our incredible daughter Liz died in the early hours of this morning. She remained determined to the last. Even yesterday she was still making plans.
"We are so very proud of the kindness, empathy and courage she has shown in the last year. She was not only a phenomenal photographer, she was the best human, and the most wonderful daughter and big sister we could ever have asked for.
“No one could have fought harder for life than she did. There is a gaping Liz shaped hole in our lives that I am not sure how we will ever fill. We have so much gratitude to every single one of you, whether you offered to help, or liked or shared posts - you ensured Liz’s last two months were her very best. She flew high until the end.”
Vicky added that she was now on a mission to raise money to fund Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor, the cancer Liz had.
“With no charity in the UK or internationally funding into effective treatments are lacking. In 2024 a 15% 5-year survival rate is simply not enough. Together we can change that. Whether you can share, donate or raise funds - please be our village one more time. Let’s make this the last item on her bucket list and make sure other families don’t face a similar fate.”
You can donate to the fight through Vicky’s crowdfunding campaign.
