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Connie Johnson (fundraiser)

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OAM
Constance "Connie" Johnson
Born1977
Died8th September 2017 aged 40
Canberra
NationalityAustralian
Known forFounder of the Love Your Sister Charity Order of Australia Medal for services to breast cancer research

Constance "Connie" Johnson (born 1977) was an Australian philanthropist. She suffered from bone cancer at age 11, uterine cancer at age 22 and finally breast cancer at age 33. Connie founded the Love Your Sister charity in 2012 with her brother Samuel Johnson, aiming to raise $10 million for cancer research. At the time of her death the charity had raised almost $6 million. She was awarded the Order of Australia Medal on September 7th 2017 and died the following day, age 40.

Biography

Connie was born in 1977 and grew up with older sister Hilde and younger brother Samuel[1] Their mother committed suicide when Connie was aged 4[2][3] She started at a new school almost every year; her father was a writer and moved around a lot so that he could write.[2][4] At the age of 22 she met her husband Mike and in 2001 they moved to Canberra where they ran the Book Lore bookshop in Lyneham together. They married in 2004 and Mike took her name.[5] They had two sons; Willoughby in 2006[6] and Hamilton in 2007.[7]

Connie was first diagnosed with bone cancer when a tumour was found in her leg at age 11. At the age of 22 a tumour was detected in her womb and she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Both tumours were detected early which aided successful treatment. In 2010 at the age of 33, after being misdiagnosed by 3 doctors, Connie was told she had breast cancer.[4]. The cancer spread to her lungs, liver, spine, pelvis and knee.[7][8]. She was given six to twelve months to live.

On New Years Day 2012 Connie started the Love Your Sister charity with her bother Samuel.[6][9]

On November 29th 2016 Hachette Australia published a book co-written by Connie and Samuel Love Your Sister: How far would you go for someone you love?[10] A searingly honest memoir of family, cancer, love . . . and unicycles by the founders of the LOVE YOUR SISTER charity, Connie and Samuel Johnson, that will inspire and, they hope, get people talking about boobs!

In April 2017 Connie announced that her body could no longer withstand her medications and she was ceasing all treatment.[11]

On September 1st 2017 Connie and Samuel were jointly awarded the Golden wattle award.[12]

The 2017 Golden Wattle Award recognises and honours the wonderful bond between Connie and her brother Samuel and their journey together with Connie’s illness. Their love and care for each other has been a model for all Australians and the way they have shared their fight against Connie’s cancer with the Australian community, raising millions of dollars for research through their Love your Sister organisation, has been extremely generous and inspirational. Their responses, when faced with great personal and family sadness and trauma, have touched the hearts of the Australian people and wonderfully expressed the spirit of the nation. Connie and Samuel Johnson are worthy winners of this year’s Golden Wattle Award.

On September 7th Connie was presented with the Order of Australia by the Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, AK, MC; for services to people with breast cancer.[13][14]. After presenting the medal Sir Peter Cosgrove said...

(Connie's) leadership of the Love Your Sister Village had done much to encourage other Australian women to undergo regular screening and raised vital funds for cancer research...She's become one of this nation's foremost advocates of the importance of early detection, and the need to find a cure...She's achieved in a few short years what most people could only hope to achieve in a lifetime...Mrs Johnson's efforts for our community will endure and make her most deserving of our nation's gratitude and admiration.[15]

The medal was to be presented on Australia Day 2018, but the ceremony was brought forward due to Connie's poor health.[15] Connie's death was announced by Samuel the following day on the Love Your Sister Facebook page.

Love Your Sister

Connie Johnson and her brother Samuel visiting the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in December 2013 as part of his unicycle world record attempt

Connie started the Love Your Sister Charity on New Years Day 2012 with her bother Samuel.[6][9]. The charity supports the Garvan Institute of Medical Research[5] and aimed to raise $10 millions for cancer research.

...I wanted to spread awareness to prevent other mums from having to go through this and other kids having to say goodbye to their mums.[4]

In February 2013 Connie's brother Samuel left Melbourne on his unicycle and rode a world record 15,000km around Australia in an effort to raise one million dollars for Love your Sister.[11]. The ride ended after 364 days in February 2014 and raised almost $1.5 million.[16]

The Big Heart Project aimed to break the record for the longest line of coins, but when they were inundated with donations the plans changed; they created a heart that people could fill with buckets of 5 cent coins. The project raised $2.535 million for the charity. $200,000 was donated to The Cancer Support Group (formerly The Eden Monaro Cancer Support Group)[5][16][17]

Charitable donations received via the Love Your Sister website and the Not Another XXXXing Swear Jar campaign have increased the funds raised by the charity to $5.6 million at the time of Connie's death.[5]

Awards

  • Golden Wattle Award 2017[12]
  • Order of Australia Medal.[18][14]

Books

  • Love Your Sister: How far would you go for someone you love?, Hachette Australia, November 29 2016 ISBN 9780733637490

See Also

Samuel Johnson (actor)

References

  1. ^ Rowbotham, Jill (16 January 2016). "10 Questions: Samuel Johnson, actor, 37". theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 9 September 2017. ...When I set off to ride a unicycle around Australia in 2013 to raise money for breast cancer — my sister Connie has it — he MC'd my launch event. Afterwards he was having a few drinks with my eldest sister Hilde, and told her about the series but said he had no idea who'd play him. She said: "What about Sam, you idiot?"...
  2. ^ a b Johnson, Connie; Johnson, Samuel. Love Your Sister:How far would you go for someone you love?. Hachette Australia. ISBN 9780733637490.
  3. ^ Abi, Jo (8 September 2017). "Connie Johnson loses her long battle with cancer". Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c Doherty, Megan (22 November 2013). "Record in the making as man rides unicycle 15,000km". canberratimes.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b c d Doherty, Megan (9 September 2017). "Vale Connie Johnson: 'You made us all kinder'". theage.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b c Sullivan, Rebecca (9 September 2017). "Connie Johnson dead at 40: Samuel Johnson's sister loses cancer battle". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ a b Stevenson, Amy (9 September 2017). "Samuel Johnson's sister Connie passes away". yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Connie Johnson dies aged 40". 9news.com.au. 8 September 2017. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b Groch, Sherryn (9 September 2017). "Love Your Sister's Connie Johnson dies from cancer". Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Johnson, Samuel; Johnson, Connie (29 November 2016). "Love Your Sister". hachette.com.au. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ a b Doherty, Megan (7 April 2017). "Love Your Sister's Connie Johnson's 'last hurrah' - raise another $1 million for breast cancer research". canberratimes.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ a b "Connie and Samuel Johnson win 2017 Golden Wattle Award". wattleday.asn.au. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Groch, Sherryn (8 September 2017). "Love Your Sister's Connie Johnson awarded Medal of Order of Australia in hospice". latrobevalleyexpress.com.au. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ a b "Events Canberra ACT 7th September 2017". gg.gov.au. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ a b Groch, Sherryn (9 September 2017). "Love Your Sister's Connie Johnson dies from cancer". bendigoadvertiser.com.au access-date=10 September 2017. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Missing pipe in: |website= (help); Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ a b Doherty, Megan (10 November 2016). "Show the love for Love Your Sister's Connie Johnson and donate your 5 cent coins". canberratimes.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Love Your Sister: Millions of five-cent coins make big silver heart for Connie Johnson's 'final hurrah'". abc.net.au. 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Plummer, Farrah (7 September 2017). "Connie Johnson receives OAM at hospice beside in final days of breast cancer battle". thenewdaily.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)


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