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Jonjo Heuerman from Wilmington asks for angel names of those who have died of cancer to read out at The Vatican in Rome

By: Clare Freeman

Published: 10:00, 10 January 2017

A teenage fundraiser, who has raised more than £300,000 to help beat cancer, hopes to read out the names of thousands of "angels" at The Vatican on his next challenge.

Jonjo Heuerman from Wilmington is asking people to share with him the names of loved ones who have lost their battle with cancer.

The 14-year-old West Ham fan has walked and cycled thousands of miles to raise money for the cancer charities, inspired by his football hero, England’s World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore and his beloved grandmother, who died of bowel cancer in 2009.

Jonjo Heuerman, 14, from Wilmington

Each challenge sees him wear an angel shirt with names of those who have died of cancer on it.

For his next endeavour he is aiming to do a circular walk around the four papal churches in Rome, lighting a candle at each before finishing at St Peters Basilica in the Vatican City, where he will read out the names of those on his shirt.

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He will then place a scroll with all the names at the altar.

St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Picture: Thinkstock

Mum Donna Heuerman said: “It’s something he’s always wanted to do. He’s constantly getting angel names and they sit in a file and to him it doesn’t feel right and this is a way of taking them somewhere to be looked after.”

Jonjo leaves for Rome on February 15 and will start the walk on February 17, the anniversary of his grandmother’s death.

Posting on Facebook, he said: “Sadly everyone knows someone who has lost the battle against cancer.

"I would be honoured if you gave me your angel name for me to wear on my next angel t-shirt when I travel to The Vatican to deliver all the angel names to St Peters.

On his challenges, the teenager wears a shirt with the names of those who have lost their battle with cancer

“My angel t-shirt is very special to me and is a shirt I wear throughout my challenges so people can see that I am walking in memory of hundreds of lost loved ones. I really want to collect thousands of angel names.”

Jonjo has asked people to comment on his post with the names of their angels and to also share the post with their friends.

He added: “The more names I have the more awareness and money I can raise to help find a cure for cancer in memory of your angel. No one should lose a loved one to this illness.

Jonjo with his BME and his family, Gary, Donna and Megan

“I have raised over £300,000 for Cancer Research UK and have generated over £1 million in public awareness, the charity says I saved more lives than I will ever know.”

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Last year, he was the youngest recipient of the British Empire Medal (BME) when he was named in the New Year’s Honours list aged just 13.

Angel names can be emailed to jonjo@fornannyandbobby.com

To find out more visit www.fornannyandbobby.com

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