Ormiston College pays tribute to Lily Veenboer who succumbed to bone cancer days before Christmas and her 20th birthday

The Ormiston College community is in mourning after a highly popular student, who was a school house captain, passed away days before Christmas and her 20th birthday after a battle with cancer.

Lily Veenboer with her family, from left, brother Sean, mum Sally and dad Theo in November 2020. Pictures: Contributed

Lily Veenboer

January 14, 2004 – December 23, 2023

Beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter, partner and friend of many.

A dazzling young academic, who passed away over the Christmas break before her 20th birthday, has left a legacy of achievements and a community in grief.

Ormiston College former student Lily Veenboer passed away at home on December 23, after a two-year struggle with bone cancer.

Ms Veenboer was the college’s house captain and received the 2021 Subject Dux in Literature and the Year 12 Merit Medallion for academic performance.

It was her love of sports that led to the critical diagnosis in 2021 when the netball and touch football player sought medical advice over what she thought was a pulled muscle in her hip.

Medical tests revealed a tumour in her pelvis which had penetrated the bone with other tumours found in her chest and spine.

Lily Veenboer on a recent trip to Versailles, France. Pictures: Contributed

She was diagnosed with advanced metastasis osteosarcoma, a bone cancer which spreads throughout the body.

Surgery ensued which left her partly disabled.

The devastated school community paid tribute this week to the young leader who sparked a number of fundraising campaigns to help cancer research.

Childhood friend Lily Bruce paid tribute to her primary school bestie who shared everything — even the same name.

The pair met at Wellington Point State School in Redland and became firm friends with Lily Veenboer known as Water Lily and Lily Bruce as Lily Pad.

Lily Bruce with her friend Lily Veenboer at Wellington Point State School. Pictures: Contributed

Other friends remembered the softly spoken but intelligent student who participated in netball and touch football as well as representing the college in debating and was a member of the college’s theatre production in 2021 and the school’s Chorale and the Art Club.

The college community joined Lily’s parents Sally and Theo and her younger brother Sean for her funeral at Mount Cotton’s crematorium on Thursday, January 4.

Many in the crowd donned colourful “upbeat” colours and Lily’s favourite pink as they paid their final respects.

Nearly two weeks later, the family, along with Lily’s long-time boyfriend Aaron Fisher, and close friends who visited her every day while she was ill, gathered for a special birthday dinner on January 14, to celebrate her life.

Lily Veenboer at school. Picture: Contributed

“It was lovely and a very fitting way to say goodbye as it was upbeat and the way Lily had wanted it,” mum Sally said.

“Lily did a lot for many people and never questioned ‘why me?’ and she did not want people to feel saddened.

“She did want people to help raise awareness about bone cancer and the Jackson Hepner Foundation, which provides goodie hampers and hope for young children and young adults with cancer.

“Lily was a recipient of their kindness and support and it really does make a difference.”

Mrs Veenboer thanked the medical team at The Wesley Hospital and St Vincent’s at Kangaroo Point for the wonderful care of her daughter.

Lily Veenboer with her friend Charlotte Lane at school. Picture: Contributed

In her final year at school in 2021, the year 12 students raised more than $35,000 for Mater Chicks in Pink by chopping off their hair for wigs for cancer patients.

Lily had been one of the sources of inspiration that year for the fundraising project.

She had lost her hair during chemotherapy and had found a blonde wig, which she said allowed her “to have a few days at school and at home where I just felt 17 again and it was the biggest luxury in the world”.

Family friends also left tributes to the teen at an online site set up to remember the popular student at remembr.com/lily.veenboer.

Originally published as Ormiston College pays tribute to Lily Veenboer who succumbed to bone cancer days before Christmas and her 20th birthday