IT IS three years since the tragic and untinely death of borough schoolgirl Aoife O’Connor – but her memory lives on as strong as ever.
Aoife (pictured) lost her brave battle with a brain tumour in 2012 when she was just 14 years old and 11 months after her diagnosis.
Refusing to let her death be in vain, her family and friends have been tirelessly fundraising for The Brain Tumour Charity and Brain Tumour UK ever since.
And their latest fundraiser was a Live the Life You Love netball festival at Lode Heath School.
The event, in memory of the huge netball fan, was attended by over 200 people and a total of 16 netball teams took part, raising £3,213 for the charity – £1,713 of it on the day itself.
The rest of the money came from prior fundraising events including raffles, a cake and samosas sale and a dress-down day by staff from the Solihull branch of the Nat West bank, which was match-funded by the bank.
The total raised by the event – now in its third year – stands at a whopping £7,491.
Meanwhile, the amount raised by Aoife’s loved ones since her passing stands at a staggering £45,367.
“The day was a huge success and the weather was on our side,” said organiser Liz Bodfish.
“We’re so grateful to everyone who took part and helped to raise money for such a deserving cause.”
Aoife’s former netball team manager Sarah Wilson added: “Aoife was full of life on and off the court,” said her team manager Sarah Wilson
“She made a real impact on everyone that met her.”
If you would like to donate to the cause visit: www.justgiving.com/LiveTheLifeYouLoveFestival – or www.justgiving.com/remember/40131/Aoife -O’Connor.
