The Pain of Being Ignored: Remembering Georgia O'Connor and Raising Awareness for Women's Health Struggles

In the wake of Georgia O'Connor's tragic passing, we reflect on the powerful message she left behind. One of resilience, kindness, and the importance of being heard.

Despite facing ongoing health struggles and being ignored by the medical community, Georgia never stopped fighting for herself and others. Her spirit serves as a reminder of how crucial it is to listen to women's health concerns.

This resonates deeply with me, as last year, I lost my cousin to cancer. I later learned that her health concerns went ignored until it was too late, a painful experience that underscores the urgency of addressing the way women’s pain is dismissed.

Through Georgia’s courage, we are reminded that no one should have to fight for recognition of their pain, and we must continue advocating for a world where women’s voices are truly heard and their health struggles validated.

Image credit: @georgiaoconnor_1 (Instagram) — Georgia O'Connor celebrating her 2nd win. Georgia was undefeated in three pro fights.

Georgia O'Connor’s story is not just one of athleticism, ambition, and courage; it’s a testament to the struggles that women endure when they voice their health concerns. Georgia, who had a promising career as a boxer, had been battling severe health issues for months before she was diagnosed with cancer.

Image credit: @georgiaoconnor_1 (Instagram) — Georgia O'Connor radiates gratitude, kindness, and love in this beautiful moment, reminding us all of the strength and positivity she carried even in the toughest times.

In an emotional post shared in January, Georgia bravely spoke out about her ordeal, revealing that for 17 weeks, she had been in constant pain, with doctors failing to listen to her concerns:

"There’s really no easy way to say this, but I have cancer.

Now that’s out the way, it’s time to expose the absolute incompetent RATS that have allowed this to happen.

For 17 weeks since the start of October, I’ve been in constant pain, going back and forth between Durham and Newcastle RVI A&E knowing deep down something was seriously wrong. I said from the start I felt it was cancer. I KNEW the risks. I have colitis and PSC, two diseases that dramatically increase the chances of getting it. I KNOW how high my risk is and they do too. They always did.

But not one doctor fucking 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.

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. One even told me that it’s “all in my head.”

And now? Now the cancer has spread.

And if that wasn’t enough, throughout this whole time there’s been BLOOD CLOTS all over my lungs. That ALONE could have killed me instantly.

They could have done something before it got to this stage. But they didn’t. Because this is the state of the NHS - a broken system that fails young people like me over and over again. A system that makes people suffer, that sends them home in agony, that lets cancer spread whilst the thick, stupid, mindless “doctors” shrug their shoulders.

They can say it’s terminal all they want.

They can tell me I’m going to die.

But after taking 17, SEVENTEEN weeks to even figure out what was wrong with me, why the fuck should I believe them?

I’m young, I’m fit and I am stronger than they’ll ever fucking understand. Mentally. Physically. Every single way. I’m still smiling and that smile will NEVER fade, no matter what.

We’ve already got an amazing oncologist on my case and we’ve made sure I’m going to have the best treatment and healing possible. Starting NOW.

Fuck the doctors who failed me.

Fuck the system that let this happen.

And when I beat this like I’ve beat everything that’s tried to end me before, they’re all going to get what’s fucking coming to them.”

The heart-wrenching truth is that Georgia's experience is not an isolated incident. Too often, women are told that their pain is in their heads, or that it’s simply a normal part of being a woman. This dismissal can be found across various aspects of healthcare, from reproductive health to chronic illness. The reality is that women's voices—especially when it comes to pain—are too often disregarded.

Georgia’s journey, while tragic, brings attention to a larger issue that demands change: the way women’s health concerns are handled by the medical community. The medical field has long been criticized for its historical gender bias, where women’s pain is minimized, and their medical concerns are often chalked up to emotional or psychological causes, rather than taking the time to thoroughly investigate and listen to their symptoms.

This gendered dismissal is part of a broader pattern, where women’s health issues are ignored, undervalued, or simply not believed. Georgia's story is an urgent reminder of the importance of listening to women and taking their pain seriously. Whether it's cancer, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, or any number of chronic conditions, the systemic problem of women’s health being under-researched and underfunded cannot be ignored any longer.

In a time when healthcare professionals are encouraged to provide empathetic and patient-centered care, Georgia O'Connor's death is a stark reminder of how much work remains to be done. Georgia’s story is a call for all of us to advocate for better care, greater awareness, and a healthcare system that takes women’s pain seriously.

As we reflect on Georgia O'Connor's legacy as a champion in the boxing ring and her impact on those who knew her, let us honour her memory. I offer my deepest condolences to her loved ones.

Women deserve to be heard, to be believed, and to receive the care we need and deserve. No more ignoring our pain. No more dismissing our struggles. This is a matter of life and death, and we must advocate for women's health concerns to be treated with the seriousness they deserve.

Georgia's story is heartbreaking, but it serves as a vital reminder that we cannot continue to allow women’s pain to be ignored. By raising awareness, we can begin to dismantle the systems that perpetuate these injustices in healthcare. Let’s ensure that her memory is not just one of sorrow, but a catalyst for change in how women’s health is perceived and treated.