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Dec 2024
2: The inspiring final year of Harrogate teenager Liz Hatton
In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2024, we look back on how Liz Hatton spent the last few months of her life before her death in November.
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This time last year, Liz Hatton was a typical 16-year-old pupil at Harrogate Grammar School. Now, her family is preparing to enter the new year without her.
Liz was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive sarcoma called desmoplastic round cell tumour in February. She died on November 27 – just 10 months after the diagnosis.
But the way she and her family faced her final months touched the lives of millions of people — including the royal family. And they are now doing everything possible to spare others from a similar fate.
The diagnosis
Victoria Hatton, Liz’s mum, told the Stray Ferret her daughter had been the healthiest human imaginable before her diagnosis. “She never had time off school”, Victoria said.
At first Liz complained of a sore shoulder, bloating and painful periods. When symptoms continued into January, her family took her to A&E in Harrogate.
Doctors suspected an ovarian cyst and advised the family to see a GP. However, by the following morning Liz was in severe pain and struggling to eat.
The Hattons went back to A&E where Liz underwent an ultrasound scan followed by a CT scan. Victoria told the Stray Ferret:
We were taken to gynaecology and told she had several masses in her abdomen. The word ‘cancer’ wasn’t bandied around at this point, but we could tell by their faces that it wasn’t good news.
By 9am the next morning, the family was told Liz had cancer. Liz had been diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumour – a sarcoma so rare only 12 cases are recorded each year – and started chemotherapy just a week later.
Little research into the condition has been done, meaning little is known about it and there are no specific treatments. The prognosis was bleak.
Victoria believes the ignornace surrounding the condition is due to a lack of funding from bigger pharmaceutical companies. She said:
Right from day one there wasn’t a chance she’d survive. But there just isn’t the knowledge out there because the pharmaceutical companies that fund most of the research aren’t interested in funding desmoplastic small round cell tumour because it’s not financially interesting enough, as the cases aren’t frequent enough.
The family lived in a constant state of fear, worrying they may have missed a piece of vital information that could have saved Liz.
Victoria set up a fundraising page shortly after her treatment began. It amassed £14,000 in just four days, and has since raised nearly £60,000 – more than double the £25,000 target. Donations are still coming in.
Liz’s eight-year-old brother, Mateo, shaved his head to show solidarity with his sister. You can read more about that here.
The funds initially went towards treatment for Liz, but when her cancer became resistant within a few months the money was used to ensure her final months were as special as they could be.
Liz and her brother Mateo.
The bucket list
When Victoria shared her daughter’s photography bucket list online in May, no one could have imagined what opportunities would come Liz’s way.
During her last months, Liz – a hugely talented photographer – went on to capture a myriad of famous faces.
She photographed the recipients of an investiture at Windsor Castle in October, as well as members of the royal family, where she was also pictured embracing the Princess of Wales.
Liz was determined to make sure everyone knew how kind the princess was, Victoria told the Stray Ferret.
She photographed drag queens from BBC Drag Race UK; comedian Michael McIntyre; the Royal Ballet; a film premiere; the Royal Variety Show; Leeds Pride; a film set and more.
You can find a gallery of some of Liz’s photos here or on her Instagram page.
Following Liz’s death, an exhibition was held in her memory. The Stray Ferret attended the event, where her papa, Aaron Robayna Thompson, told us:
What people don’t know is the pain and suffering she went through to take these pictures. I’ve never met anyone with such strength. It’s not just how talented she was, but also her level of drive.
She never complained. She never asked, ‘why me?'.
'We can change things for others'
“There is a gaping Liz-shaped hole in our lives that I am not sure how we will ever fill”, Victoria said after her daughter’s death.
Victoria last spoke to the Stray Ferret in December, when she told us her and her family will now dedicate their lives to ensuring other families do not have to endure the pain they have.
She said:
We’ve lost Liz – we can’t do anything about that – but we can change things for others. We can make sure other families don’t go through the agony we do.
Victoria told the Stray Ferret the family will set up a charity dedicated to desmoplastic small round cell tumour.
The funds raised by the charity will be channelled through the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group to specifically fund desmoplastic small round cell tumour research.
Following Liz’s death, Victoria launched a fundraising page to raise £100,000, which will be used to collate the limited data available into one accessible document. The family hopes the document will then be used by physicians as more research into the condition is done.
She added:
Once we’ve done that and we figure out where the gaps are, we hope to then fund research into treatments. We'd like to fundraise in a multitude of ways. We know friends and family are look for ways to help, so we’re hoping to raise as much money as possible, as quickly and as sustainably as possibly. We just want to make a difference long-term.
We’re better when we’re busy and being proactive. We can either sit and cry a puddle, or we do something. It feels wrong that there’s all this attention and we don’t use it for good. That’s what Liz would’ve wanted.
The fundraiser has already reached nearly £60,000.
Victoria (L) with Liz and her family. Credit: Victoria Hatton Facebook
Liz’s godmother told the Stray Ferret she “had a way of making everyone she met feel so special”.
Her papa described her as strong, determined, kind and empathetic, and he said her selflessness never faltered.
Victoria told us Liz had no idea how incredible she was, which she feels made Liz even more special.
Based on the reactions to our stories about Liz, the way those who knew her describe her and the turnout at her recent exhibition, it is clear her death will continue to be felt by many people for a long time.
You can read more stories about Liz and her family here and here.
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