FRIENDS and family are raising cash and awareness of Type One Diabetes after a popular Great Sankey man died from the condition.

Stephen Shipley, aged 31, died on January 23 this year after being diagnosed aged two with a rare genetic form of diabetes which also affected his dad and two of his sisters.

Heartbroken friends and family members have now planned several fundraising events in the former Great Sankey High School pupil’s memory including a charity auction night in April, the Welsh three peak challenge in May and a fancy dress skydive in June.

Sister Claire had five miscarriages due to her Type One Diabetes and a still born son Jack before giving birth to three-year-old Maisie.

She said: “Ste went blind when he was aged 19 but never lost any of his friends and was still doing crazy stuff.

“He would still do up motorbikes and ride them and get his friends to direct him on a walkie talkie.

“He tried to carry on as much as he could and got a lot of respect for that.”

The 30-year-old added friends and family turned out in force for Stephen’s funeral at St Mary’s, Liverpool Road, and all wore Liverpool football club scarves in tribute to the football fan.

Claire added: “He was quite poorly throughout his whole life and when we were younger we both found the condition really hard to control no matter what we did.

“Everyone’s support has been amazing and it’s really helped me and my mum Rose Fallows and sisters Suzanne and Laura get through it.

“People don’t realise diabetes can lead to things like amputations and death so it’s been raising lots of awareness too and in two weeks of setting up the Justgiving page people have already donated £1,800.”

Visit justgiving.com/sankeydoesitforshipley.