Boxing star Georgia O’Connor lost her life to cancer after she was allegedly ignored, dismissed, and “gaslit” by those meant to care for her.
The British athlete from County Durham suffered a miscarriage and had publicly called out medical negligence, which allegedly delayed her cancer diagnosis, in the last few months. She said doctors refused to scan her and initially made her feel like she was “overreacting.”
Her untimely passing at the age of 25 sparked heartbreak and outrage online.
“More proof that women are ignored when they complain about abdominal pain. ‘It’s just your period. Get over get it.’” one wrote online. “My heart goes out to her husband and family.”
Georgia O’Connor lost her life months after calling out medical negligence over her delayed cancer diagnosis
Image credits: Owen Humphreys/PA Images
In a statement shared on May 22, boxing promotional company Boxxer said they were “heartbroken” by Georgia’s passing.
She was “a true warrior inside and outside the ring,” and “the boxing community has lost a talented, courageous and determined young woman far too soon.”
“Georgia was loved, respected and admired by her friends here at Boxxer. Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this difficult time,” added Georgia’s promoter.
Image credits: georgiaoconnor_1
Georgia tied the knot with her longtime boyfriend Adriano Cardinali weeks before she succumbed to cancer.
“09.05.2025. The day I married the love of my life,” she wrote online.
She told her fans that Adriano quit his job to “fight this battle” against cancer alongside her.
“Adriano, you are my superhero. My warrior, my protector, my soulmate,” she said.
The British athlete was a Commonwealth Youth Games gold medalist
Image credits: georgiaoconnor_1
The athlete won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2017, earned a silver medal at the 2017 World Youth Championships and another bronze at the 2018 Youth World Championships.
Over the last few months, the professional boxer candidly shared the medical and personal struggles she was going through.
Back in January, the athlete revealed to her fans that she had been in “constant pain” for “17 weeks since the start of October.”
She knew “something was seriously wrong” and suspected it was cancer from the very beginning.
Image credits: georgiaoconnor_1
Georgia was previously diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can lead to ulcers on the inner lining of your large intestine.
She also had Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, a chronic liver disease that can cause inflammation and scarring in the bile ducts inside and outside the liver.
Given that she had these two medical conditions, she said she knew her chances of getting cancer were higher and was aware of the risks.
“But not one doctor f—— listened to me,” the exasperated boxer said in her January post.
“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. Instead, they dismissed me. They gaslit me, told me it was nothing, made me feel like I was overreacting.”
“They refused to scan me. They refused to investigate. They REFUSED to listen,” she continued. “One even told me that it’s ‘all in my head.’ And now? Now the cancer has spread.”
Georgia married her lontime boyfriend Adriano Cardinali weeks before she succumbed to cancer
Image credits: georgiaoconnor_1
For her 25th birthday in February, Georgia said she celebrated by going to a London hospital to find out whether she could get “specialized treatment.”
She mentioned at the time that her birthday came after what she called a “rollercoaster” few months.
“The last few months have been a rollercoaster,” she wrote on Instagram. “I’ve been pregnant with a beautiful baby, suffered a miscarriage, then got diagnosed with ‘incurable’ cancer. But I still feel on top of the world!”
Image credits: georgiaoconnor_1
The boxer explained that she weighed 59 kg on that February morning, and her clothes weren’t fitting her anymore. Nevertheless, she said she loved her body and was aware it was “working” for her,
“Sometimes I have to use crutches or a wheelchair to get around, but I’m lucky to have people willing to push that wheelchair,” she added.
The athlete remained positive and said, “Perspective is EVERYTHING.”
“I have what people consider the worst disease known to man, but I’m still able to smile, laugh and be myself,” she said.
The athlete called Adriano her superhero, warrior, protector, and soulmate
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Georgia’s passing triggered a wave of grief online, with many saying she “tried to voice her pain and doctors did not listen.”
Her story reignited conversations around medical misogyny, which is the systemic dismissal of a woman’s pain, instincts, and health concerns by doctors.
“Women are often ignored and gaslit when it comes to our health,” one said.
“Georgia was an inspirational person and one I’ll never forget,” said Ben Shalom, founder and CEO of Boxxer
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“Very sad that no one listened to her. It’s all too common for women to be discounted and ignored,” one shared their story online. “I complained about an issue for over 10 years to multiple doctors trying to get one to listen. I had to almost bleed to death in order for someone to take me seriously finally. Then had the nerve to say I should have said something sooner.”
There is a broad pattern in the healthcare system worldwide, where women often admit they feel unheard or invalidated.
This is especially seen in women with heavy periods, endometriosis, adenomyosis, and similar conditions.
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The charity Endometriosis UK surveyed 4,371 people who were diagnosed with endometriosis in the UK and found that nearly half of them visited their doctor 10 or more times with symptoms before finally getting their diagnosis.
The organization also said in the 2024 report that there was a spike in the number of people who were told by at least one doctor that they were making a “fuss about nothing” or similar statements.
Georgia’s passing sparked outrage over medical misogyny and the dismissal of women’s health concerns
Image credits: georgiaoconnor_1
In some cases, patients reported that their doctors weren’t aware of certain conditions like Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) or adenomyosis.
This forced the women to self-diagnose themselves or spend years understanding their condition.
“Women are often ignored and gaslit when it comes to our health,” one social media user said
Image credits: georgiaoconnor_1
Sexism and misogyny in the healthcare industry are not only experienced by patients but also healthcare practitioners as well.
A survey of 2,458 doctors by the British Medical Association found that 42% witnessed or experienced an issue relating to sexism and felt like they couldn’t report it.
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Moreover, 61% of women who participated in the survey felt they were discouraged to work in a particular specialty because of their gender.
70% of the surveyed women also felt their clinical ability had been doubted or undervalued because of their gender.
Netizens expressed grief over the young athlete’s life being cut short
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