Malua Bay mum Jill Brown’s mission to educate Australia on rare cancer that killed ‘beautiful’ daughter Catie

A grieving mother, desperate to honour her late daughter’s wish, is forging ahead with the goal of teaching Aussies about the cruel and rare cancer that killed the 22-year-old. Here’s how.

Jill Brown (left) and her daughter, Catie Brown (right). Picture: Supplied

A grieving south coast mother has turned her despair into a desire to teach others about the cruel and rare cancer that killed her 22-year-old daughter.

Malua Bay mother Jill Brown tragically lost her “beautiful” daughter Catie Brown in early 2023, after a hard fought six month battle with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer.

Catie, who grew up in the Eurobodalla region of the NSW south coast, was finishing a degree in nursing at the University of Wollongong when the unfair diagnosis was made.

“She was angry,” Mrs Brown told this publication.

“All she was saying was that she didn’t have time for this, that she needed to finish her degree.”

Catie with her sister, Millie, in hospital. Picture: Supplied

Catie was diagnosed with the rare cancer, which, according to statistics from the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Australia, afflicts 1300 Australians every year.

“There’s really not a lot of information out about the disease,” Mrs Brown said.

Catie Brown with former University of Wollongong vice-chancellor Patricia Davidson. Picture: Supplied

“We really struggled to learn about it when the diagnosis hit.”

Mrs Brown quickly became her daughters’ full-time carer, often sitting beside her in hospital, chatting and exchanging comedic videos.

“We love her more than anything and we were always going to be there looking out for her,” she said.

On April 22, 2023, Catie passed away peacefully in the Wollongong Hospital surrounded by family.

She was 22 years young.

Catie Brown was 22 when she died. Picture: Supplied

“There’s not a day that goes by that we don’t think of our beautiful Catie,” Mrs Brown said.

In January 2023, while cleaning some of Catie’s things with husband Greg and her other daughter, Millie, Mrs Brown stumbled upon a journal she hadn’t seen before.

“I opened it and there was a list of things she wanted to do before she passed, and on that list was to teach people about her cancer, about cholangiocarcinoma,” she said.

“I said, ‘I can do that for you’.”

Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Australia founder Steve Holmes. Picture: Supplied

Two months later, Mrs Brown joined the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Australia as a research coordinator in a bid to teach others of the cruel disease that took her Catie.

“Catie wanted people to know about the cancer because there’s so little information about it online, so that’s now my mission,” Mrs Brown said.

Husband and wife duo Steve and Claire Holmes conceived the organisation in 2017 after the Gold Coast man survived the rare cancer.

Mr Holmes’ younger brother, Graeme, had earlier died from the illness in 2014.

In 2024, the foundation was officially registered as an Australian charity.

In a bid to teach the country of the fatal cancer, it has come up with an initiative known as “Light Australia Green”.

The project will result in a number of landmarks across the nation lighting up in green on February 20, to honour those taken by cholangiocarcinoma and educate the country on the horrific disease.

With her desire to grant Catie’s wish, Mrs Brown has already confirmed six spots to be lit up in Canberra.

Catie’s mother also plans to contact Eurobodalla Council to see if any local landmarks can join the initiative.

“I feel fulfilled,” Mrs Brown said.

“My mission isn’t over. I need to keep teaching people about the disease, but this is what my Catie wanted.

“I’m not going to stop fighting for her.”

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Originally published as Malua Bay mum Jill Brown’s mission to educate Australia on rare cancer that killed ‘beautiful’ daughter Catie