£15,000 has been raised to transport a sick Glastonbury super fan to the festival

By Samantha Allen

Published: June 21, 2022 | 12:35 AM GMT

After more than £15,000 was raised to transport a Glastonbury super fan 250 miles to the festival by helicopter, he expects to attend for the final time this weekend.

Nigel Stonehouse, 58, has been diagnosed with kidney cancer that has spread to his lungs. It is said to be incurable by doctors.

Friends have started an internet campaign to allow him to see his “favorite spot on Earth” before he passes away.

Backers have included Fatboy Slim, who is among the musicians performing.

Mr Stonehouse’s ‘dying wish,’ according to fundraiser Lizzie Beggs, was to be with all of his friends at Glastonbury ‘even if only for a few hours for one last time.’

The former bricklayer from Hartlepool will be flown to Somerset from the University Hospital of North Tees, where he is a patient, if he is well enough.

He’ll be looked after by a nurse, and a family who lives nearby has offered to house him.

Friend Gemma Thornton said: ‘This has given him a big boost. It’s the only thing keeping him going.’

Mr Stonehouse has been a fan of the renowned festival for over 30 years and had purchased a ticket for this year’s event.

He has been told that he only has a few weeks to live.

Friends were in the process of hiring a suitable helicopter to fly him from the hospital to the festival the day before yesterday.

His palliative care staff has told him that they will do everything possible to make it happen.

If he is able to make the journey, his medical equipment and wheelchair will be transported separately to Somerset, where he will be cared for by a nurse and the site medical team.

Mr Stonehouse will also have disabled access to events, thanks to arrangements made with festival organizers.

Miss Thornton said: ‘It completing depends on how he progresses and if he has the strength to go, he has good days and bad days. He wants to go but it doesn’t necessarily mean he will be able to go.’

The funds generated will be donated to Glastonbury charities if he is unable to travel.

About Samantha Allen

Samantha Allen is a seasoned journalist and senior correspondent at TDPel Media, specializing in the intersection of maternal health, clinical wellness, and public policy. With a background in investigative reporting and a passion for data-driven storytelling, Samantha has become a trusted voice for expectant mothers and healthcare advocates worldwide. Her work focuses on translating complex medical research into actionable insights, covering everything from prenatal fitness and neonatal care to the socioeconomic impacts of healthcare legislation. At TDPel Media, Samantha leads the agency's health analytics desk, ensuring that every report is grounded in accuracy, empathy, and scientific integrity. When she isn't in the newsroom, she is an advocate for community-led wellness initiatives and an avid explorer of California’s coastal trails.