Sam Wainwright, 22, passed away two days after Christmas last year and had been diagnosed with biliary atresia when he was just six weeks old.

A younger Sam pictured here after competing in the Transplant Games (Image: Supplied by the Wainwrights)

The rare disease is found in babies whose bile ducts are either missing, blocked or scarred, causing damage to their liver.

Sam had to undergo a liver transplant at the age of two, which cured him of the disease.

But then, when he was 17, he developed a blood disorder known as immune thrombocytopenia.

Sam had to have his spleen removed as a result of the autoimmune condition, which destroys the body's platelets and causes excessive bleeding.

Sam has been described as a keen runner (Image: Supplied by the Wainwrights)

Despite these difficulties, Sam was a keen runner - having completed a marathon in Helsinki, Finland, in three hours and 27 minutes - and was a huge fan of Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton, who he met when he was 11.

He also studied psychology at the University of East Anglia, where he met his girlfriend Poppy Woodruff, and was set to begin his masters next year.

Sam and Poppy met during their time at UEA (Image: Supplied by the Wainwrights)

Throughout his life, Sam was dedicated to raising money for the Children's Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF) - now part of the British Liver Trust - which is a UK-based charity that supports children and young people with liver disease and their families.

His family, including Miss Woodruff, are determined to continue the work Sam started by holding events in his honour to raise money for the organisation.

Sam pictured here at 11 years old when he met Lewis Hamilton, who he admired (Image: Supplied by the Wainwrights)

So far, their efforts have raised £6,928 for the organisation through various events including a 22km challenge held in March and a spiritualist event that took place earlier this month.

Miss Woodruff said: "I'm so grateful for the support we've had throughout our fundraising and I know Sam would be so proud of how much we've raised in his honour.

"He was an inspiration and the most positive man I will ever meet. He will forever have a place in my heart."

His father, Stuart Wainwright, described him as the "most selfless person" he knew.

"He wanted to do more," he said. "He dedicated his fundraising to CLDF and was a great ambassador for the charity that helped us when Sam was younger.

"There will never be a day I don't think of him and wish he was here. He was my inspiration. When life was tough for me, I'd channel my 'inner Sam' and I will continue to do this for the rest of my life.

"Sam's final words to me were 'there's nothing you can do that can't be done'. I for one will be living my life with his message always guiding me."

His grandfather, Stan Wainwright, added: "Sam was never without a smile. He was a person who helped everyone and nothing ever got him down."

Sharon Wainwright, Sam's grandmother, added: "He was a one in a million."

Sam has been described as a "one in a million" (Image: Supplied by the Wainwrights)

What is ITP blood disorder?

Immune thrombocytopenia is a condition where the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks platelets, which help with clotting, so the platelet count drops and bleeding or bruising becomes more likely.

Common symptoms include easy bruising, tiny pinprick skin spots called petechiae, nosebleeds, gum bleeding and, in severe cases, internal bleeding.

According to the ITP Support Association, there are between 3,000 and 4,000 ITP patients in the UK at any one time, with most general hospitals only seeing one or two adults and children with ITP.

Visit https://shorturl.at/eFo6c to donate to the family's Just Giving page.

© Norwich Evening News