Georgia O’Connor — a talented British boxer and rising star once considered one of Team GB’s brightest prospects — has passed away at just 25 years old, only weeks after her wedding. Her death comes after months of alleged medical neglect that she said left her cancer undiagnosed until it was too late.

The athlete from Durham, UK, first gained national attention after winning gold at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games. But in January this year, she revealed a devastating diagnosis: a rare and aggressive cancer, compounded by ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel condition.

“There’s really no easy way to say this, but I have cancer,” she wrote on Instagram.
She then publicly accused multiple doctors of ignoring her symptoms and dismissing her requests for help.

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Seventeen Weeks of Pain — and No Answers

In a heartbreaking account, O’Connor said she spent 17 weeks in constant agony, repeatedly seeking medical help and warning doctors that something was seriously wrong. Her history of ulcerative colitis and PSC (primary sclerosing cholangitis) already placed her at higher cancer risk — something she made clear during her visits.

But according to O’Connor, her concerns were continually brushed aside.

“Not one doctor listened to me. Not one doctor took me seriously. Not one doctor did the scans or blood tests I begged for whilst crying on the floor in agony.”

She said doctors minimized her symptoms, suggested she was overreacting, and refused to perform basic imaging tests — with one even telling her it was “all in her head.”

By the time a full investigation was finally performed, the cancer had already spread. Doctors also found dangerous blood clots in her lungs.

O’Connor voiced her frustration on social media, saying,

“They could have done something before it got to this stage.”

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A Series of Devastating Blows

Just weeks later — on her 25th birthday — O’Connor revealed she had suffered a miscarriage and had learned that her cancer was incurable. Despite this, she continued sharing hopeful messages and maintaining her signature positivity.

In early May, she married her partner, Adriano, calling it “the day I married the love of my life.” It would be her final public post.

O’Connor passed away two weeks after the wedding.

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NHS Responds as Tributes Pour In

Following her death, a spokesperson from Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said:

“We are very sorry to hear the news about Georgia’s death and offer our sincere condolences. When and if the family want to raise concerns with us, we’d urge them to get in touch.”

The boxing world has since united in grief.

Ben Shalom’s Boxxer promotion paid tribute, stating:

“We are heartbroken by the passing of Georgia O’Connor. A true warrior inside and outside the ring.”

England Boxing remembered her as a “gifted boxer” and a “beloved member of the amateur boxing community.”

World champion Ellie Scotney — O’Connor’s close friend of ten years — wrote an emotional message:

“I was so blessed with not just a friend for 10 years, but a sister for life… Even when life was on a timer, you never let anything dim that light of yours.”

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A Life Full of Promise, Gone Too Soon

Georgia O’Connor’s death has sparked sorrow across the sporting community and renewed conversations about medical dismissal — particularly of young women reporting serious symptoms.

Loved ones and fans continue to honor her as a fierce fighter, a radiant personality, and a woman whose talent and strength inspired many.