A 20-year-old student who beat cancer has died just two weeks after suffering flu-like symptoms.
Josh Abbott-Littler rang the ‘all clear’ bell at The Christie cancer hospital in south Manchester in May 2024 after successfully undergoing chemotherapy and proton beam therapy to tackle his Hodgkin lymphoma.
But a year later, after reporting chest pains, he was back in hospital where he was treated for pneumonia and sepsis.
Josh, from Wigan, was eventually diagnosed with treatment-induced acute myeloid leukaemia – a rare, aggressive form of leukaemia triggered by certain cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation.
He was re-admitted to The Christie, where he died on June 26 from sepsis caused by a bacterial infection.
His family, who went from elation after he defeated cancer to devastation when he became ill once again, have shed light on an ordeal which started on his initial Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in 2023.
Josh’s aunt Rebecca Hughes said: ‘He was perfectly fit and well, with no symptoms at all. Then this growth came on his neck.
‘His mum took him to the GP and after testing he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.’
Josh Abbott-Littler, pictured, a 20-year-old student who beat cancer, has died just two weeks after suffering flu-like symptoms
She added that Josh, who was in his first year studying maths at Lancaster University, beat the illness before these treatments had been completed.
‘He rang the bell in May 2024 and we were just elated,’ Ms Hughes said.
‘We’d had a difficult few years, my dad hadn’t been well, and it was a real blow. So we were ecstatic.
‘He went for regular check-ups at The Christie and he was doing brilliantly. He spent the summer with his friend, he loved music and festivals.’
She said that Josh ‘couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong’ when he became unwell again this summer.
Ms Hughes added that his death had been ‘absolutely devastating’ for his relatives.
‘We’re such a close family and Josh was the first grandchild, the first little nephew, and we absolutely cherished and adored him,’ she said. ‘It was a huge blow for us all.’
Josh’s family have decided to raise money for Young Lives vs Cancer in his memory, by taking part in a nine-hour walk from Wigan to Southport.
The charity supports children with cancer and their families and the fundraiser can be found on a Just Giving page.
Ms Hughes said: ‘The Young Lives vs Cancer charity has been unbelievable. They’re in The Christie every day. Everything that’s needed, they’re on hand.
‘After Josh’s passing, they’ve been just as present with his mum and his two little brothers, constantly checking in.
‘It’s just a way of us trying to give back and keep Josh’s name alive. We had a goal, if we could reach £1,000 we’d be over the moon.
‘But we’ve had so much support. It’s helped us through the toughest of days. Sometimes it’s just the little things that make all the difference.’
Josh’s aunt described him as ‘intellectual’ with a wide range of interests including chess and music.
She said: ‘He went to Holy Family primary school, then St Edmund Arrowsmith. He left with straight nines [the highest grade]. He was a really clever boy.
‘Josh wasn’t big on social media. He loved his music, he went to chess club at uni. He was just a beautiful soul, a really lovely boy.
‘This has given us a focus on doing something positive and kept us going these past weeks.
‘I’m hoping we can make it a regular thing. He would’ve been 21 in January and we’re hoping to mark that with something around that time.’
The fundraiser has smashed its target within days of being set up and has now received £2,939 in donations.
A heartfelt message on the Just Giving page reads: ‘He was a brilliant big brother to Fred and Bobby and had a real love for gaming and music. He played guitar and sang, travelling to gigs as often as he could.
‘Josh never complained and took it all in his stride with a smile on his face. Josh will be truly missed by all his friends and family.’
