Charity football match to be held in honour of much loved Peterborough teenager who died after battle with cancer

A charity football match will take this place in honour of a much loved Peterborough teenager who died after battling cancer.

McKenzie Hallam – known as Kenzie – was just 18 when he passed away last weekend.

He was diagnosed with non Hodgkins lymphoma and Burkitts lymphoma aged just 16 – but had recently been in remission, after months of intensive chemotherapy.

On Sunday, a charity football match will be held in Yaxley in his honour, as part of a campaign to help raise funds for Kenzie’s funeral.

The match will take place at Yaxley FC, with kick off at 5pm.

Kenzie, who leaves behind parents Lucy Bent and Matt Hallam and siblings Shane, Harvey, Riley, Coby and Knox, had a passion for motorbikes, and has been described as ‘the life and soul’ of any get together.

In a tribute, his family said: “Kenzie will be missed massively and we feel like there is a massive hole in all our lives.”

A Gofundme web page has been set up to help Kenzie’s family, and has already raised more than £5,000.

The page says: “It doesn't seem so long ago that we were fundraising for Kenzie and his family whilst he was hospitalised with Leukemia. This extradionary young man beat that war and continued with a huge zest for life living it to the max.

“Sadly today it has been announced that Kenzie has sadly passed away at the tender age of 18 years old. :'(

“Since Covid this family have endured so much, pubs being closed so no income for Lucy, then Kenzie getting sick and her not being able to work whilst she was constantly at the hospital and subsequently losing her job. As a family it's been a struggle to get back on their feet, the pain of losing Kenzie is a struggle they will endure for the days, weeks, months and years to come. Now they sadly have additional financial pressures on the way giving this warm hearted young man the send off he deserves.”

To donate to the campaign, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lucinda-bent