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Shock at death of 'fun' George
A PARTY-LOVING Bridlington woman who bravely fought cancer for three years has lost her battle with the disease aged 35.
Georgina Gwilliam, known as George by her friends and family, died at the Macmillan Wolds Unit at Bridlington Hospital in the early hours of last Thursday morning.
She was first diagnosed with lung cancer in 2007 and endured several gruelling chemotherapy sessions at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull before the disease spread to her back and there was nothing more doctors could do.
George's friends and family said that right up until the end the 35-year-old believed she was going to get better, which made her death even harder to bear.
"George was always so positive about everything," said her sister Sarah, who lives in Driffield with their mum Sandy.
"On Monday last week she still thought that she could get more treatment and would be OK.
"But she was transferred to the Wolds Unit on the Wednesday and died on Thursday morning. It was such a shock.
Sarah added: "She never let the cancer get her down. When she was first diagnosed her reaction was 'I am going to beat this' and we never thought it would get her because she was always so positive."
Originally from Grimsby, George moved to Bridlington 10 years ago and worked at the Yorkshire Trading Company before moving to the Marina Cafe.
She spent the past two years working at her stepmum Sue's cafe, Fairways, in Hilderthorpe Road.
Her housemate Jenny Sampson, 30, of Brett Street, said George was a familiar face on Bridlington's party scene.
"We were always going out. She was always up for a laugh and still came away on group holidays even when she had no hair.
"She loved going out. As long as she had a Strongbow in her hand she was quite happy!"
George's friend of 10 years, Hayley Croft, 25, agreed, saying: "She knew how to have fun and she didn't let the cancer stop her.
"She literally threw herself into everything and loved her friends and family so much she would do anything for them.
"I feel privileged to have had her in my life."
George was a keen reader, loved films and particularly enjoyed the television programme CSI which inspired her to start an Open University course in criminology which she had almost finished before her death.
George's niece Natasha Fawcett, 13, has now set up a Facebook group in memory of her aunt called RIP George Gwilliam and said that reading the dozens of messages left by George's friends had helped her cope with her loss.
As well as her sister Sarah, George also leaves behind her father Mick, two step-sisters Katie and Amy, step-mum Sue and another niece, Shannon.
Her funeral service is taking place at Octon Crematorium at noon tomorrow followed by a celebration of George's life at one of her favourite Bridlington pubs, the Stirling Castle.
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Weather for Bridlington
Saturday 04 February 2012
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Light snow
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