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Laughlin Whiteley: Celebration for cancer blog boy's life | Laughlin Whiteley: Celebration for cancer blog boy's life |
(1 day later) | |
The life of an "inspirational", award-winning, seven-year-old boy who died from cancer has been celebrated by a town in Essex. | |
Laughlin Whiteley, of Burnham-on-Crouch, who recently received an award from Prince Harry, died last Saturday. | |
Event organisers said nearly 1,000 people from the local community took part in the event on Saturday evening. | |
Sunflowers were placed on the sea wall in his memory and more than £2,200 was raised. | |
Laughlin's illness was charted by his father online after he was found to have a brain tumour, aged four. | Laughlin's illness was charted by his father online after he was found to have a brain tumour, aged four. |
In February, Lockey, as he was known, had a stem cell transplant for a rare leukaemia and was given the all-clear, but suffered a relapse of the blood cancer. | In February, Lockey, as he was known, had a stem cell transplant for a rare leukaemia and was given the all-clear, but suffered a relapse of the blood cancer. |
"Lockey's death has touched everybody," said Michelle Richardson, from the Unlock a Life for Lockey campaign. | "Lockey's death has touched everybody," said Michelle Richardson, from the Unlock a Life for Lockey campaign. |
"We live in a very close knit community and this was a chance for everybody to celebrate his life. We held it exactly a week to the time when he died. | |
"Nearly 1,000 people turned up and it was absolutely overwhelming to see the community coming together." | |
The money raised will be donated to Laughlin's parents, John and Andrea, who will decide how to use it at a later date. | |
Last month, national charity for sick children WellChild named Laughlin as its Most Inspirational Child of the Year after receiving hundreds of nominations for the title. | Last month, national charity for sick children WellChild named Laughlin as its Most Inspirational Child of the Year after receiving hundreds of nominations for the title. |
Its patron, Prince Harry, gave Lockey his award at a London hotel. | Its patron, Prince Harry, gave Lockey his award at a London hotel. |
Laughlin's parents set up a charity earlier this year to distribute craft boxes to children at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where he was being treated. | |
A farewell procession for Laughlin will take place next Saturday with a procession up Burnham-on-Crouch High Street from the Clocktower at 10:30 BST, before a private funeral. |