PumpkinsandPost-Its

#Autism specialist teacher. Raising awareness of and funds for research into Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour. Proud mum of Elizabeth and Mateo.

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

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.

We have two last favours to ask. Firstly, we would like to ask you to share one of her photos - on your social media, or in real life, however you can. Let’s let her go out with a bang. #LizHatton (photos will follow in a thread but do also feel free to choose your own from @lizhatton_photography on Instagram)

Secondly, if you can we would like you to help us with a mission to raise money to fund research into Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour. 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: https://t.co/iSsJO83LLs

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@shitscaredmum Sending so much love xx

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

I spend hours wondering if we could have acted earlier. If we could have found DSRCT sooner. If we could have saved Liz. But the truth is that although there were signs, painful periods, pain in her shoulder, some weight loss whilst she was doing GCSEs and some bloating over Christmas we had no ideas of the importance of any of these things. We had no idea that the weight loss meant her body was sending genergy to tumours we thought it was exam stress, we had no idea that shoulder pain (that we thought was from carrying a heavy school bag) meant the tumour had started growing in her liver, or that her painful periods were tumours growing in her ovaries. The bloating that Liz experienced over Christmas was something we put down to richer food and Liz regaining the weight she had lost during exams. The photo below is one of Liz and Mateo taken on Christmas Eve. Less than a month later our worlds were blown apart. We didn’t see it coming,

Tomorrow is Sparkle for Capture Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour Charity - if you can please join in. Please tell people to act if a series of random symptoms occur. Please tell people to get things checked even if they are probably nothing. Shout it from the rooftops. Maybe, just maybe it will help another family catch it earlier. Maybe, just maybe that will make the difference between life and death.

If you decide to Sparkle (wear anything you like as long as it Sparkles) , please tag Capture on Social Mecia. Let’s get people talking.

The suggested donation for taking part tomorrow is just £1. The more funds we raise the bigger difference we can make. But the truth is tomorrow is about so much more than raising funds, tomorrow is about raising awareness, tomorrow is about saying that DSRCT matters. Tomorrow is about saying that together we stand strong.

https://t.co/UvsyJvo3nS

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@brozovicbasic @LairdOfThManor She also got to play her in a school play to celebrate her jubilee- she was chosen because they were both Elizabeth’s x

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

Oh bless you, the photo does look like me, but it isn’t. Liz did once get to wave to the Queen when she came to our local town hall whe she was 4. She was very excited to be so close to another ‘Elizabeth’ and loved that her name was on the coins. It was a very distant wave though, she never got that close x

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@brozovicbasic You are so lovely to share it, it isn’t me - though I can definitely see the similarity. Liz would have loved to meet the Queen, she was thrilled they shared a name but the nearest she got was to wave at her from a crowd when she visited our local town hall.

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

When Liz died and I first posted on X telling you all that we were going to make a difference, that we were going to bring about change, that we would create the first worldwide charity for Desmoplastic Small Round, so many of you trusted us. You donated to strangers, without a firm plan, who just had a hope that in 20 years other families wouldn’t still be losing their children.

In December 2025 @CaptureDSRCTC got our charity number. Today our website launched: https://t.co/dRwsYZqh0T and later this month we will have official news about our first research project.

The dream that we had is becoming a reality. We can’t bring Liz back. But we can make a difference. We can ensure that the future is different.

Something we would never have been able to do without your support.

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

When we first said we were going to raise funds for research it felt like a pipe dream, something out reach, something that we wanted more than anything but weren't quite sure how to achieve.

The fact that that is now happening still feels surreal. But to make the project as effective as possible we need YOUR help. If you have a personal connection to DSRCT, either as a patient or family member the team at the University of York want to talk to you.

If you have questions before committing both they and we are happy to answer them, so please do get in touch.

This is a chance to truly make a difference but we can't do it alone! Will you help us make that difference?

https://t.co/yo6lIKaTKy

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@Userfriendlylad Thank you so much! That is incredibly kind of you. We promise to make sure it helps us make a difference!

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@nolink29 Thank you so much, that means a lot x

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@alexeades1 Sending love x

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@sazzib Thank you so much x

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@implmaterial You are so very kind, thank you xx

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@SJHughes82 Thank you so much xx

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@callyrichards1 Aww thank you xx

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@DianeEllio23075 @MsPrint_1 Thank you so much xx

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@AllexmarieHoll1 Thank you so much xx

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@HildaMcevoy You are very kind, I’m very lucky to have had a lot of help from a lot of very good people x

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@woman_northern That means a lot, thank you x

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

@woman_northern Thank you so much x

[PumpkinsandPost-Its @2ndtimeMama]

If you live near to Harrogate we would love to see you for our Food and Photos event to raise funds for @CaptureDSRCTC this weekend!