This week in Romsey, Hampshire, George’s Trust launches in memory of a remarkable young man whose life was cut short overnight by cancer.
The George O’Brien Trust, to give it its formal name, is dedicated to supporting teenagers and young adults in the Romsey and Winchester area of Hampshire, by raising funds for research and treatment of cancer, making grants to local youth organisations and providing awards for choral scholarships in the Romsey Abbey Choir.
George died very suddenly and unexpectedly in October 2008. “George was a fit and healthy 17 year old who went to bed as usual on Thursday October 30th 2008, but died in intensive care at Southampton General Hospital at 08:00 on Friday October 31st as the result of an acute lymphoblastic lymphoma,” explains Joe O’Brien, his father.
“The biggest shock of all was that this was completely unexpected. The aggressive tumour presented no signs or symptoms of illness at all.”
George was a much-loved son, wonderful brother and true friend to many people. He was kind hearted, gentle and always thought of others before himself. His face was never without a smile for too long.
A keen sportsman and musician, he was involved in many local organisations. He played the baritone saxophone and clarinet with the Romsey Area Schools Orchestra and Romsey Area Youth Jazz Orchestra, and sang in Romsey Abbey Choir for 10 years, both as a chorister and later when he moved to sing on the back row with the men.
George was very aware of life around him and keen to help anyone in need. He had projects he wanted to do in the future and, ironically, two of them involved fundraising for cancer research.
In a piece of coursework submitted whilst he was at Romsey School he wrote, “One day I want to walk Hadrian’s Wall for Charity, which is seventy three miles long. Some time after that I want to walk the Great Wall of China with my friends. Having been through the trauma of losing a relative to cancer myself, I would like to walk for this cause. I think the sooner there is a cure found for this horrible disease the better.”
As well as raising funds for research into cancer and its treatment, George’s Trust will be supporting organisations close to George’s heart. In the coming months, a number of fundraising activities are planned, such as concerts in the Romsey Memorial Park on the 3rd July and 25th September and a Sportsmen’s Dinner on 7th November 2009. In the long term, supporters of the Trust will also be fulfilling George’s fundraising aims by walking both Hadrian’s Wall and the Great Wall of China.
Joe concludes, “The Trust has been set up to not just support teenagers and young adults, but also the organisations they belong to. George was a fun-loving, active and caring teenager and George’s Trust will be a positive way forward to helping others in ways that we feel he would be proud of.”
Notes for Editors
George’s Trust is the working name of the George O’Brien Trust - www.georgestrust.org.uk
An acute lymphoblastic lymphoma is a very aggressive form of Non-Hodgkin’
For more information about the work of George’s Trust, or for details about the official press launch taking place at 17:30 at Romsey Town Hall on June 10th, please contact Joe O’Brien:
Tel: 07825 828748
Email: jsj.obrien@btinternet.com
Follow George’s Trust on Twitter – www.twitter.com/
