A young Dublin woman fighting ovarian cancer died in her family’s arms at the weekend, just days after a fund was set up to send her abroad for treatment.
Georgina ‘Georgie’ Burke (27, inset), from Huntstown in Dublin 15, passed away peacefully at St Francis’ Hospice in Blanchardstown on Friday.
She had been battling a chemotherapy-resistant cancer and an online appeal set up by her family to send her to Tijuana, Mexico had raised almost €23,000 in five days.
In a message to supporters, her heartbroken sister, Michaela, said: “To each and every one of you who loved, donated and shared our superhero’s story, thank you.
“Although Georgie did not make it to ‘Oasis of Hope’, her final days were filled with such hope from us all and what we raised for Georgie.”
Georgie was living and working in San Francisco in August, 2017, when she got a pain in her stomach which later turned out to be ovarian cancer.
Michaela described her as a “real-life super hero”, telling how Georgie started studying a part-time Masters in business at UCD after her cancer diagnosis.
Her family set up the fund to send her to ‘Oasis of Hope’ in Mexico, which offers immunotherapy cancer vaccines after radiation proved unsuccessful.
Revealing the devastating news of her death last Saturday, Michaela said: “Our brave little warrior Georgina passed away peacefully in our arms yesterday evening at St Francis’ Hospice in Blanchardstown.
“My mam, Daniel and I are heartbroken but filled with gratitude that Georgie’s final moments were pain-free of the suffering, and filled with love, between the four of us.
“Our hearts are heavy and will never be the same, but our Georgie is free of all the pain, suffering and in the arms of our grandfathers in heaven.”
Tributes were paid to the popular young woman at her funeral on Tuesday in the Church of Our Lady Help of Christians on the Navan Road.
In her death notice, her family thanked the staff at St Francis’ Hospice for their “tender care”.
It said: “Cherished daughter of Sonia and dearly loved sister of Daniel and Michaela. Our beautiful warrior Georgie will be sadly missed by her entire loving family, grandmothers Joan and Marie, relatives and friends.”
Posting a tribute online, one friend said: “Such an amazing girl. Georgie was great fun to be around.”
Another said: “Georgie was an amazing person … A lot of hearts will be in pieces today.”
