A BOY who won widespread admiration for his courage and determination in battling a rare skin condition has died at the age of 17.

Connor Marsden passed away surrounded by his family on Sunday. He died from skin cancer after developing a tumour on his leg. Through all his young life Connor had suffered from Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) an extremely rare condition which can cause the skin to break and blister at the slightest knock.

His family said he faced every challenge with the “same smile and sense of inner strength”.

Connor, the youngest of three brothers from Blackbrook, had a tumour removed in 2010, but it came back at the end of March and doctors gave the heartbreaking news that there was nothing more they could do.

His sister-in-law Shauny Craven, 24, told the Star: “He was in severe pain a lot of the time. But it was the same old Connor, smiling and getting on with things.

“He has fought all his life and the cancer was just something else for Connor. To a certain extent, he took it in his stride and carried on.

“He was very intelligent, so would have known what was going on. At the moment everyone is trying to be strong for his mum and dad (Catherine and Allan). It’s not hit everyone yet, but you can never prepare for something like this.

“I know his mum Cath wanted to let people know how clever he was and how witty and dry his sense of humour was. He was so selfless and never thought about himself, just about everyone else. And he idolised his nieces and nephews.”

Shauny said the family wanted to thank hospitals and carers who looked after Connor throughout his life.

These included Great Ormond Street, Alder Hey and St Thomas and Guy Hospitals, nurses at the charities Macmillan and EB, disability nurse Alison Sutch and Connor’s carer at Ashurst Primary School Pat Buckley.

Connor’s mother Catherine has requested just family flowers at the funeral, but donations to Jackie Denyer EB nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital would be welcome.

The funeral service will be held on Monday, at 10am, at St Mary’s Blackbrook, on Blackbrook Road, followed by a service at St Helens Crematorium.

 

Many tributes have also been left for Connor on our Facebook page here

Post by St Helens Star.

 

 

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