The Story thats Captured the world
Posted: April 26th, 2014, 10:02 am
Donations inspired by a terminally-ill teenager rose above the £2.5 million mark today.
Stephen Sutton, 19, had set out to raise £10,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust, but smashed that target days ago, going on to aim for £1 million, which then increased to £2 million as publicity around his cause spread with the help of celebrities including Simon Pegg, Stephen Fry and Russell Brand.
Today, the total raised stood at £2,504, 464.98.
Mr Sutton, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, who has broken all records on fund-raising website JustGiving, wrote on Facebook : "Currently I am feeling well and would describe my current situation as stable.
"
ifferent people will put my recent physical improvement down to different reasons; I don't want to over-dramatise things too much, but I do just want to mention that everyone's positive thoughts and support has been hugely appreciated, so thank you for that.
"The tumours in my body are still rife and dangerous, but I feel so lucky to just still be here, and in fact I feel completely privileged to be in this position where I can help make such a difference to others people lives."
He added: " I've always been a firm believer that people are 'good', and to see people come together for the cause recently in the way they have is incredibly touching and heartwarming.
"Thank you from me, and also thank you from every young cancer patient in the future who will benefit invaluably from the money raised!"
JustGiving tweeted yesterday that it was itself donating £50,000 to mark the record Mr Sutton has set.
It wrote on Twitter: "Stephen we think you're amazing. It's been a privilege supporting your fundraising. You've now broken all fundraising records on JustGiving - so here is a special donation from JustGiving."
More than 99,000 individual donations have been made on Mr Sutton's JustGiving page.
The teenager has enjoyed support from a host of celebrities who have taken to Twitter, posing for pictures with the hashtag thumbsupforstephen and holding signs to encourage people to donate.
The campaign was originally championed by comedian Jason Manford, who said he had previously met Mr Sutton at charity gigs and was bowled over by his positivity as he strove to make the best of his situation.
The teenager was diagnosed with what was initially bowel cancer when he was 15.
Despite surgery, the aggressive cancer spread to different parts of his body and, after further treatment and operations, doctors concluded it was incurable.
Mr Sutton set up his charity fund-raising website and blog on Facebook in January last year to keep people up to date with his progress.
Siobhan Dunn, chief executive of the Teenage Cancer Trust, praised the inspiring teenager and ambassador for the charity.
She said: "I've had the privilege of meeting him and his positivity is always remembered by all that meet him or hear him speak.
"Stephen is making the biggest possible difference to Teenage Cancer Trust and the young people who need our help."
Speaking previously, Mr Sutton said he disliked the term "dying from my cancer - I am living with my cancer, despite it being there".
His bucket-list of 46 things to do before he died included things like hugging an elephant, crowd-surfing in a rubber dinghy, playing the drums at a Wembley cup final, getting a tattoo and appearing on BBC drama Doctors.
To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/Stephen-Sutton-TCT.
Stephen Sutton, 19, had set out to raise £10,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust, but smashed that target days ago, going on to aim for £1 million, which then increased to £2 million as publicity around his cause spread with the help of celebrities including Simon Pegg, Stephen Fry and Russell Brand.
Today, the total raised stood at £2,504, 464.98.
Mr Sutton, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, who has broken all records on fund-raising website JustGiving, wrote on Facebook : "Currently I am feeling well and would describe my current situation as stable.
"
ifferent people will put my recent physical improvement down to different reasons; I don't want to over-dramatise things too much, but I do just want to mention that everyone's positive thoughts and support has been hugely appreciated, so thank you for that."The tumours in my body are still rife and dangerous, but I feel so lucky to just still be here, and in fact I feel completely privileged to be in this position where I can help make such a difference to others people lives."
He added: " I've always been a firm believer that people are 'good', and to see people come together for the cause recently in the way they have is incredibly touching and heartwarming.
"Thank you from me, and also thank you from every young cancer patient in the future who will benefit invaluably from the money raised!"
JustGiving tweeted yesterday that it was itself donating £50,000 to mark the record Mr Sutton has set.
It wrote on Twitter: "Stephen we think you're amazing. It's been a privilege supporting your fundraising. You've now broken all fundraising records on JustGiving - so here is a special donation from JustGiving."
More than 99,000 individual donations have been made on Mr Sutton's JustGiving page.
The teenager has enjoyed support from a host of celebrities who have taken to Twitter, posing for pictures with the hashtag thumbsupforstephen and holding signs to encourage people to donate.
The campaign was originally championed by comedian Jason Manford, who said he had previously met Mr Sutton at charity gigs and was bowled over by his positivity as he strove to make the best of his situation.
The teenager was diagnosed with what was initially bowel cancer when he was 15.
Despite surgery, the aggressive cancer spread to different parts of his body and, after further treatment and operations, doctors concluded it was incurable.
Mr Sutton set up his charity fund-raising website and blog on Facebook in January last year to keep people up to date with his progress.
Siobhan Dunn, chief executive of the Teenage Cancer Trust, praised the inspiring teenager and ambassador for the charity.
She said: "I've had the privilege of meeting him and his positivity is always remembered by all that meet him or hear him speak.
"Stephen is making the biggest possible difference to Teenage Cancer Trust and the young people who need our help."
Speaking previously, Mr Sutton said he disliked the term "dying from my cancer - I am living with my cancer, despite it being there".
His bucket-list of 46 things to do before he died included things like hugging an elephant, crowd-surfing in a rubber dinghy, playing the drums at a Wembley cup final, getting a tattoo and appearing on BBC drama Doctors.
To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/Stephen-Sutton-TCT.
