Stephen meeting Princess Anne at Baschurch

Tributes were paid today to a 21-year-old Shropshire man who died following a battle with a genetic condition. His family called for greater public awareness of the disorder.

Stephen Percival, of Hanwood, near Shrewsbury, died on May 4 in hospital of complications resulting from his condition Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and a chest infection.

His mother and father said their son possessed the ability to always bring a smile to people’s faces and had a “magnetic” personality.

They said Stephen, who was a pupil at the Severndale School, had met an array of famous stars during his life including Rolf Harris, Patrick Lichfield and Princess Anne when she visited the Perry Riding for the Disabled Association during a visit to Shrewsbury in 2007.

Mrs Percival said the condition Neurofibromatosis was a genetic condition which could affect the skin and nervous system but was not as well known as other hereditary diseases such as cystic fibrosis.

She said: “Unlike cystic fibrosis, NF can be passed down by either parent or be a new mutation. We didn’t know he had it until he was about three years old and it was down to a good health visitor, a good GP and a good paediatric consultant that we were able to cope with things.”

Mrs Percival said that despite his condition Stephen was a person who lived his life to the full.

Mr Percival said a celebration of Stephen’s life was held last week at Shrewsbury Crematorium which was attended by about 110 people including staff from Hope House and Severndale School. He said the song Colonel Hathi’s March from the The Jungle Book was played during the service which reminded everyone of Stephen.

Mr Percival said: “Because he had a real magnetic personality people would say they could walk into wherever Stephen was feeling all uptight and as soon as they saw him he would greet them with a big ear to ear grin and they would think ‘what have I got to be upset about?’.”

About one in 4,000 babies born in the UK has NF1 and about one in every 50,000 has NF2. There is no cure for NF but the Neurofibromatosis Association is optimistic that there will be an effective treatment within the next five to 10 years.

Anybody who would like to make donations can do so to Acorn’s Children’s Hospice or Perry Riding for the Disabled.

By Russell Roberts