Death of Nenagh woman in Australia

The sad death took place in Australia - just four days before Christmas - of a young woman from Nenagh following a long battle with cancer.

Joanne Mitchell passed away in Sydney on Wednesday last, December 21, three and a half years after she received a diagnosis, at just 40, of Stage 4 Metastatic Lung Cancer that had spread to her bones.

On hearing of her devastating news a friend established a GoFundMe page to support Joanne and her family. Large numbers both locally, in Ireland and Australia responded by giving generous donations, resulting in contribution of close to one hundred thousand Australian dollars.

The valuable funds raised were aimed an enabling Joanne to rent a ground floor purpose-build apartment close to the hospital where she was being treated and affording her some comfort from the challenges she faced during her serious illness.

Paying tribute, one friend SiobhánToolan, the woman who set up the GoFundMe page, said Joanne wasa person who would go above and beyond for everyone she knew and was the first to put her hand up to help.”

Joanne was so incredibly grateful for all of your support she received but, poignantly, she died just as the festive season was getting underway.

Joanne was a loving daughter of Ann and John Mitchell and is also survived by her beloved sister Denise, brother Martin and sister-in-law, Laura.

She was a devoted auntie to Ben, Amber, Jackson, Jordin, Finlay and Luke. Joanne will be greatly missed by her relatives and friends in Australia and back here at home.

Her Funeral Mass takes place at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, Randwick, Sydney, at 10am on Thursday, December 29 (Irish time 11pm Wednesday, December 28) followed by Private Cremation.

Funeral Mass can be viewed on YouTube on Our Lady of Sacred Heart Parish Randwick.