Tributes paid to 'trailblazing campaigner' who leaves behind 'lasting legacy'

Tributes have been paid to Julie Lillis, who was described as being a 'trailblazing campaigner', who has sadly passed away.
By Johnny McNabb
Published 29th Mar 2023, 16:26 BST
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The Whiteabbey woman was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2020 after finding a lump.

However, Ms Lillis was given the sad news that the cancer had spread and was incurable before cycling 300km for local charities the very next day.

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A total of £5,000 was donated to Cancer Focus Northern Ireland to help fund a unique new support group for younger women with breast cancer and the charity’s research into the mutant BRCA gene at Queen’s University Belfast.

Julie Lillis, who raised £5,000 for Cancer Focus NI and was labelled as a 'trailblazer campaigner', has sadly passed away .Julie Lillis, who raised £5,000 for Cancer Focus NI and was labelled as a 'trailblazer campaigner', has sadly passed away .
Julie Lillis, who raised £5,000 for Cancer Focus NI and was labelled as a 'trailblazer campaigner', has sadly passed away .

A statement from Cancer Focus NI stated that Julie's 'lasting legacy' was to help secure funding for an audit of those living with secondary cancer.

"Julie first connected with our charity when, two months after receiving a cancer diagnosis in September 2020, she cycled 300km for breast cancer awareness. Raising an amazing £10,460, Julie donated £5,000 towards our research into the mutant BRCA gene at Queen’s University and to fund our Focus Friends group – a unique support group for younger women with breast cancer.

"In the following years, Julie kindly shared her humour, kindness, and knowledge to help further support the work of our charity. In 2021, she was a charity advocate of our Support Your Girls breast cancer campaign where she shared her story to help raise awareness and even participated in an Instagram Live initiative to highlight signs and symptoms to local women.

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"However, Julie’s lasting legacy will be as a trailblazing campaigner. In 2022, she along with others, highlighted the urgent need for a clinical audit of secondary breast cancer patients in Northern Ireland, similar to that being commissioned in England & Wales. Her reason for this was simple, she wanted to improve cancer services and patients’ outcomes for local women now and in the future.

"As a charity, we were delighted to announce in February 2023 that we would fund Northern Ireland’s first secondary breast cancer research audit. The work that Julie has done to see the Secondary Breast Cancer audit become a reality will make a permanent difference to Northern Ireland’s health service and the lives of women living with the disease.

"Julie will be missed by everyone at Cancer Focus NI and we are immensely thankful for her support over the years. At this heart-breaking time, our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with her ever-supportive family and friends who loved her dearly."

Ms Lillis worked in the television and production industry on projects including Dracula: Untold, Game of Thrones, Lost City of Z, My Mother And Other Strangers, Derry Girls, Frank of Ireland and most recently on Nova Jones.

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Northern Ireland Screen added that they were 'deeply saddened' by her passing, with staff on the MA Journalism course at Ulster University paying their condolences to an 'esteemed graduate'.

The 38-year-old was laid to rest today at Church of St Mary, Star of the Sea, in Newtownabbey.

We are only now beginning to see the lasting impact she had,” said Fr McCafferty at the funeral.

A death notice read that she will be missed by her mum Jean, sisters Allison, Jacqui and Jane, brother Bobby, and the wider family circle.