Teenager who inspired Princess of Wales ‘wouldn't want us to cry' on her 18th birthday
Victoria Robayna said her late daughter, Liz Hatton, will be celebrated throughout August with a month-long marathon organised by her younger brother Mateo.
Liz, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, died nine months ago aged 17 after battling desmoplastic small round cell tumour, a rare and aggressive form of cancer with no standard path of treatment.
She had been invited to privately meet the Prince and Princess of Wales in October last year after photographing an investiture in Windsor Castle as part of the fulfilment of her bucket list of dreams.
The Royals paid tribute to the young photographer after she died, saying in a statement signed off by 'W&C' that it was 'an honour to have met such a brave and humble young woman'.
Speaking ahead of what would have been her daughter's milestone birthday on August 31, Ms Robayna said: 'We have two choices on Liz's birthday, one is to sit and cry about what might have been – what should have been.
'The other is to celebrate Liz, her incredible work and everything she stood for. We know which one Liz would have told us to do. And it definitely would not have been to sit crying.'
Instead, the family have organised a fundraising mission through their new charity Capture, which was set up to make a difference to the palliative care of others diagnosed with the same cancer Liz suffered from.
Titled Marathon Your Way In A Month, the latest fundraising drive will see those who sign up cover 26 miles over the month of August in any way they choose.
Mateo, Liz's younger brother, will complete his challenge in a triathlon format, splitting the miles between swimming, cycling and running, while others have chosen to simply walk the distance.
Ms Robayna said the idea came about from one of Capture's trustees and that Liz would have approved.
'She always believed in people being able to express their individuality and this seemed like the perfect way to do it,' she explained.
It also offers the family, including Liz's stepfather Aaron, a welcome distraction from the milestone that August represents.
Ms Robayna added: 'We knew we would find this month leading up to her birthday hard. Having something to focus on that gets us out there living – just as Liz did – will hopefully make it an easier month than it would otherwise have been.'
It marks Capture's first international challenge and already 60 people have signed up to take part, including one of Liz's nurses from London and an American who has pledged to complete the miles on both sides of the Atlantic.
' Every single penny raised from the challenge will go towards our latest research project focusing on what young people with cancers that have less than a 15 per cent chance of survival want or need out of palliative care,' Ms Robayna explained.
'Liz's biggest legacy was one of being determined to live her life to the full right until the very end of her life,' she added. 'Raising funds for research into palliative care which will allow others to have the same choices would mean the world to her.
'We are determined to continue to show others that palliative care can be about living not dying.'
Liz was a keen photographer and began a photography bucket list appeal in January 2024 after being given between six months and three years to live.
In the last months of her life, she fulfilled the majority of her list, including photographing a West End show, hosting a photo shoot of professional models, having her own photography exhibition and meeting leaders in the field, including Rankin.
She previously told The Telegraph of the inspiration behind her bucket list journey: 'I want my siblings in particular to know that there's always a bright side, you don't have to sit and be miserable.
'Because I don't want the people I love to sit and be miserable when I'm gone, I want them to look on the bright side and still be able to smile in darkness.'
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