Sam Fender leaves Sunderland singer ‘thrilled’ with classy support for heartbreaking cancer battle

"She was that child always getting the solos in the play at school," Abigail Thompson says about her little sister Faye Fantarrow. The 20-year-old from Sunderland has battled cancer most of her life and is currently hoping to raise enough money to fund a vital treatment in California - something that her friend and fellow North East singer Sam Fender has added his voice to.

Rising star Faye first met Fender after winning the Alan Hull award for songwriting in 2021 and her family were 'thrilled' to see the 'Seventeen Going Under' singer continuing to support another local talent by sharing her JustGiving page on Instagram over the weekend.

Abigail said: "When Faye was diagnosed with leukaemia she started playing the guitar and it all came from there really. She uses her writing to help her process her emotions. She's been through a lot and it helps her to put it into her music and songs to talk about it.

"When Faye won the Alan Hull award Sam played there, and they met. We had an email from his team saying they'd share it and she was thrilled he was involved and supporting her even though he's really busy. She was over the moon with that."

Faye is signed to Bay Street Records, owned by fellow Sunderland musician and Eurythmics legend Dave Stewart - who has also been a "great support" to the family during the cancer battle.

Faye was just eight years old when she was first diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in September 2010 and underwent two and half years of chemotherapy that robbed her of her hair, mobility and childhood.

Three years later Faye's leukaemia returned and brought long stays in hospital, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.

In September this year, the singer started feeling unwell again and was taken to hospital, where she was told her life was ending. Faye was diagnosed with an aggressive Glioma brain tumour, believed to be a very rare consequence of the radiotherapy she had for her bone marrow transplant. No cure exists in the UK.

Abigail said: "It's really hard. You feel like she's just getting her life back on track and then it happens again. It's harder and harder every time. This one was horrific as it was a totally different type of cancer that came very quickly and she had the devastating news that it's really difficult to treat.

"She's determined, definitely. Faye does what she wants in her music and life, she's always been a strong character. She's very creative, always writing, and very empathic. She's been through a lot in herself and is a very kind and caring person, probably because she knows what it's like to go through that."

The only option available to the family is a trial running in California, the first ever kind in the world, which comes with huge costs to make happen. To give Faye a fighting chance the family are hoping to raise £450,000.

With support from family, friends, Sam Fender and kind-hearted people, 5,505 people have managed to raise £195,706. It's a fantastic sum that goes a long way to help the family, but they still need more.

You can help Faye fight by donating to the JustGiving page here.