Nathan Hancock, 22, died on Sunday night at Nottingham's City Hospital with his family by his side.

Nathan, who was of mixed race, was suffering from a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, lymphoblastic lymphoma.

He had appealed for people to join the bone marrow register, in particular those with an ethnic background, to increase his chances and those of others of finding a match.

Nathan's family are determined to continue the campaign to raise awareness of the bone marrow donor register, in his name.

Nathan was first diagnosed with the aggressive cancer in February after discovering a lump in his neck.

Following an intensive course of chemotherapy the cancer had gone into remission by May and in September he was allowed home.

But in just a matter of weeks the cancer had returned and Nathan was rushed back to hospital with a tumour in his chest.

It became apparent a bone marrow transplant was urgently needed to help Nathan rebuild his immune system.

Nathan's case was more complicated because he is of mixed race and there are a shortage of bone marrow donors registered from ethnic communtities.

His family set about campaigning for more people to join the register, even gaining celebrity support and national coverage of the appeal.

Nathan worked with adults with learning difficulties at Linkage Community Trust. He was a keen footballer, playing for Skegness Town since 2004 and only missed out on a trial at Aston Villa, the club he supported, because of a broken leg which ended his career.

A Facebook group set up to support the campaign has now become a place where friends and family have paid tribute to Nathan.

In a message on the site his family say: "It is more important than ever to continue this campaign in Nathan's memory. It was too late to save him but we can help stop other people having to go through this and that's what he would have wanted."

Joe Gabbitas wrote: "Can't believe this had to happen to someone like Nath. Such a tragic loss. Shared some great times with him and will he be sorely missed by everyone who knew him, my thoughts are with his family at this sad time. Rest in peace mate x."


CLICK HERE to go to Facebook to read more tributes.

CLICK HERE to leave your own tribute on Nathan's appeal page.