Mark Hamill and John Boyega want a dying fan to see The Force Awakens before he passes

As we near December 17th, it can seem like the wait for The Force Awakens is unbearable.

First screenings have already sold out in record time and the film is expected to have the biggest opening of 2015 and possibly even the biggest opening of all time. For one huge fan, however, he might not make it until then.

Daniel Fleetwood has been diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma, which is a type of connective tissue cancer. Daniel, who's now 32, has been a fan since he first saw the films back when he was 8 or 9 and has been eagerly awaiting the film's release. However, his doctors gave him a diagnosis of just two months back in July and he's been able to hold on for quite some time.

Star Wars fans took to social media over the past couple of weeks with the hashtag #ForceForDaniel, hoping that JJ Abrams will screen a rough cut of The Force Awakens for Daniel before December 17th. The campaign's been hugely successful and both castmembers John Boyega and Mark Hamill have posted messages of support on Twitter.

JJ Abrams has done this sort of thing before. Back when Star Trek Into Darkness was nearing release, the director screened the film for a Trekkie who was diagnosed with terminal cancer.