London Bridge terror attack victim Kirsty Boden’s legacy remembered in charity

A YEAR to the day since SA nurse Kirsty Boden died while selflessly sacrificing her life to save others during the London Bridge terror attack, her legacy lives on through a charity in her name.

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• Remembering Kirsty

A YEAR to the day since South Australian nurse Kirsty Boden died while selflessly sacrificing her life to save others during the London Bridge terror attack, her legacy lives on through a charity in her name.

Remembering Kirsty is founded by cancer survivor Simon Joscelyne after he completed a treacherous swim challenge in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, in February.

The charity supports young country athletes to attend state and national titles and has raised almost $10,000.

Now Mr Joscelyne, 30, of Melbourne aims to branch out to all sports and will choose a different hero to commemorate every year.

“Australia traditionally has a lot of great sportsmen coming from the country but it’s expensive for young athletes to travel so we need to support them,” he said.

Simon Joscelyne. Picture: Tony Gough

“We are raising money for underprivileged kids to go to sporting carnivals.”

Donations are accepted on a rolling basis on the website but Mr Joscelyne will organise several events a year to boost awareness, including a world record breaking relay swim.

Swimmers from each state will complete the relay at respective locations this summer.

London Bridge terror attack victim Kirsty Boden, of Loxton, with partner James Hodder. Kirsty. Source: Facebook

Exactly a year ago today, a white van rammed pedestrians on the London Bridge before three occupants ran to nearby Borough Market and stabbed people.

Ms Boden, a Loxton-born nurse working at London’s Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, was one of eight people killed in the terror attack.

The 28-year-old ran selflessly to help those injured on the bridge before she was killed.

Her British boyfriend James Hodder organised an online fundraiser where more than $38,700 (£22,026) was raised towards The Smith Family and UK-based animal welfare organisation The Blue Cross – charities the family had chosen.

Loxton mayor Leon Stasinowsky said the town had chosen to remember Kirsty by her life achievements and not by the atrocities committed in London.

“Most importantly they have remembered Kirsty’s life and what she had done and achieved,” he said.

Kirsty Boden. Picture: Supplied

“She was a civic-minded person and that’s what she is remembered by.

Mr Stasinowsky said tributes flowed from the community was a true testament to Kirsty’s character as “she touched the hearts of people wherever she was”.

“It doesn’t have to happen in our own backyard to feel the impact … It certainly brought the outpouring of grief,” he said.

“The town was in shock for quite awhile but in good true country spirit … we moved on but we never forget.”

Immanuel College Kevin Richardson said the school has been looking for “a way to remember Kirsty in perpetuity” after a memorial was held last year.

“Kirsty was one of the girls who lived her life to the fullest,” he said.

In her two short years at the high school, Kirsty was deputy captain of one of the school houses, swimming captain, athletic champion, received academic scholarship and recognition in her English studies among her accolades.