Been following this kids fight for a while now; unsure if anyone else here has but today we lost a legend.
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Six-year-old Bradley Lowery, whose plight touched tens of thousands of people, has died after a long illness. The Sunderland fan was diagnosed with neuroblastoma - a rare type of cancer - when he was 18 months old. Bradley went on to be the club's mascot and became "best mates" with his hero, striker Jermain Defoe. He also led England out at Wembley for a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania. His death was confirmed on social media by his parents.
The posting read: "My brave boy has went with the angels today. "He was our little superhero and put the biggest fight up but he was needed else where. There are no words to describe how heart broken we are."
Bradley's mum Gemma Lowery had previously said his deterioration had been "heartbreaking" Bradley underwent treatment and was in remission, but relapsed last year. Well-wishers raised more than £700,000 in 2016 to pay for him to be given antibody treatment in New York, but medics then found his cancer had grown and the family were informed his illness was terminal.
In December, Bradley's parents Gemma and Carl, from Blackhall Colliery in County Durham, were told he only had "months to live". Four months later they were told the latest and final round of his treatment had failed.
Bradley was a mascot for England when they played Lithuania back in March He underwent "tumour-shrinking treatment" at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary but the cancer continued to spread.
On 24 May, Mrs Lowery said Bradley had left hospital to start palliative care at home, adding that more tumours had been found and further radiotherapy was planned. Then, on 28 June the family wrote on Facebook: "Bradley is deteriorating fast, his temperature is going very high his breathing very fast his oxygen levels low.
Bradley walked down the red carpet at the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year "He is sleeping most the time apart from odd times awake. We knew this was coming but we are heartbroken beyond words." On 1 July his family posted a picture of Bradley with Defoe who, after signing for Bournemouth, returned to the North East to see him. On Thursday, before Bradley's death, Defoe broke down in tears during a press conference for his new club and said the six-year-old would "always be in my heart".
Bradley with his dad Carl at the match between Everton and Sunderland Bradley became known worldwide following an appeal which saw him receive 250,000 Christmas cards from countries as far away as Australia and New Zealand.
In December he met England manager Gareth Southgate and Match of the Day pundit Gary Lineker at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year bash in Birmingham. Bradley then won the programme's December goal of the month award after he took a penalty ahead of Sunderland's game against Chelsea.
Bradley became firm friends with his hero Jermain Defoe He has also appeared as a mascot for Everton, who pledged £200,000 to his fundraising campaign, and was visited in hospital by a number of Sunderland players. A dream came true when he appeared as mascot for the England team at Wembley Stadium before a game that saw his hero Defoe score a goal.
He was also given honorary 41st place in the race card for the Grand National at Aintree in April. On 30 June the charity single "Smile For Bradley" by LIV'n'G entered the singles chart at number 28. All proceeds from the song will go to the Bradley Lowery Foundation, which has been set up in his honour.
Bradley got to try out the racecourse's weighing scales - coming in at 2st 12.5lb (18.37kg) He was named Child of Courage at the Pride of North East Awards just days before a party was held to celebrate his sixth birthday, which was attended by Defoe and 250 other well-wishers.
Fewer than 100 children in the UK are diagnosed each year with neuroblastoma and most living with the condition are under the age of five.