WHEN 16-year-old Liam Booth learned he would lose his life to cancer there were only two things the brave teenager wanted - to return to college and tuck into his favourite food.

From the age of 11, when he was first diagnosed with a rare form of the disease, Liam never coveted special treatment or sympathy from his close, loving family or from his wide circle of friends.

He accepted he had cancer, but with dogged and quiet determination set out to enjoy a normal, fun-filled life. Even prolonged absences from Derby High School failed to prevent Liam from achieving 10 GCSEs and becoming an accomplished keyboard player and music producer, skills he taught himself during his recuperation.

Two weeks ago, on February 6, and one month after learning that trial drugs had failed after some success to slow the cancer, mum Denise cradled her youngest son in her arms and his devoted dad Chris and brother Bradley held Liam's hands as he died peacefully in his sleep at the family home in Halsall Close, Walmersley.

Five hundred people attended his funeral, during which his close friend Jessica Buckle sang Lean on Me, in tribute to Liam. One particular song, called Gone, taken from a CD of instrumental tunes produced and performed by Liam, proved to be his farewell message to the people who loved and cared for him during his short but challenging life.

The CD of DJ Boothy's' music will now help to support the care of other children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Dad, Chris, said: "After Liam died we found the CD. It contained a note telling us not to get rid of or destroy the contents. The songs are about his life, his views on different emotions and feelings.

"We want it to be made available to anyone who wants it. His music is his legacy."

Liam was born on August 1, 1990, at Fairfield Hospital. He enjoyed a normal, incident-free childhood and excelled at Springside County Primary School.

However, it was in May, 2002, in his first year at Derby High School, that he was diagnosed with the rare cancer, pancreatoblastoma.

He received chemotherapy and radiotherapy and by December of that year he was in remission. Denise said: "We were hopeful that he had beaten the cancer, but we were warned that it could come back. Liam wasn't concerned.

"We never mentioned the C' word to Liam, but he knew what was wrong. But, he had missed a lot of school and wanted to get back and be with his friends.

"Everything was fine until June, 2003, when blood tests showed something to be wrong. The cancer had come back but it was hard to find and the doctors eventually found a lump on the back of his breastbone. It was removed in a big operation."

During his remission Liam and his family enjoyed a holiday of a lifetime in Florida, paid for by regulars at the Cricketers Arms in Walmersley Road, who raised nearly £6,000 in just one night.

After the cancer returned and for the next two years, Liam was in and out of hospital, receiving chemotherapy and drugs to combat the cancer which was attacking his liver and stomach wall.

In April 2006 Liam became the first child in the country to be prescribed the trial drug, Aplidin, to slow the growth of cancerous cells in his stomach.

Chris said: "For nearly eight months, the drug was slowing down the cancer, but we knew we would lose Liam eventually. The drug was not a cure but they were working at least until January.

"Liam was taken off the drug and he was told that he didn't have long left. Liam simply said that he wanted to go to college and have a Kentucky Fried Chicken.

"Just days before his death, when he was very thin and jaundiced, Liam went to college. He wouldn't let the cancer beat him. He didn't want any special treatment."

Both Denise and Chris said: "Liam was brave, courageous, loving and clever. Cancer didn't beat Liam. Liam beat cancer by not letting it get in the way of living his life."

  • Copies of the DJ Boothy's CD can be ordered from Chris and Denise on chrisbthfm@aol.com. At £10 each, all proceeds go to the Manchester Children Hospital Charity's Cancer and Leukaemia Fund.