Six-year-old Tijn Kolsteren, who raised more than €2.5 million in a nail-polish campaign, has died of a rare form of brain cancer, reports 3FM radio station.

He had volunteered to raise money by varnishing people’s nails for 3FM’s Serious Request campaign in Breda. The money was to go to support families affected by disasters and conflicts.

Comedian Youp van ‘t Hek and presenter Wendy van Dijk then started a ‘Lak door Tijn’ campaign, with Stichting Semmy, to raise money for new treatments for Dutch children with the same sickness as Tijn. They started a line of polish, Tijn chose the four colours, and it raised more than €1 million.

According to the NOS, throughout Europe about 400 children a year are diagnosed with cancer of the brainstem (DIPG), and there is no cure.

In April, the boy received a papal blessing from Pope Franciscus, after a pastor from Nijmegen made a request on his behalf.

Radio station 3FM said, in a message online, that Tijn was ‘a sweet and playful young man with an exceptionally warm heart.’ It added: ‘With his nail polish campaign, he gave thousands of children a future, although his own future was so uncertain. Tijn is an example to us all.’

The boy died on Thursday night.