29/04/2026
Please read below and support in any way you can. So sad. 😢
Update, sadly Vinnie has passed away. May he rest in peace. Please keep sharing to get the fund up.
Hi everyone,
Many of you may know Vincent (Vinny) O’Brien — an incredible father, partner, son, and brother. I am his sister, and I have set up this GoFundMe to help support Vinny and his family as we all navigate the unimaginable.
As some of you may know, last year our family received the life-changing news that Vinny had been diagnosed with cancer. For those of you that don’t, this is Vinny’s cancer story.
At the beginning of 2025, Vinny found a lump and began a series of medical appointments on the 20th of February. After weeks of uncertainty, he was seen by specialists and, following a biopsy in April 2025, was diagnosed with a rare form of male specific cancer.
While awaiting surgery, we were told there could be at least a five week wait - five weeks that we might not have. Due to pressures within the healthcare system in Ireland, there was very little that could be done to speed things up.
During this time, Vinny and his partner Margaret bravely spoke out on radio platforms such as Tipp FM and the Joe Duffy Show, sharing their story in the hope that someone would hear them and help get the urgent care he needed. They also wanted to raise awareness and encourage men that if something doesn’t feel right, to get it checked.
On June 9th, Vinny finally underwent major surgery. During the operation, doctors discovered that the situation was more serious than expected. It was an incredibly difficult time, but Vinny faced it with courage and determination.
On July 24th, we received the news we had all been hoping for, Vinny was told he was “winning this” and that the surgery had been successful. He went on to have multiple rounds of radiotherapy as a preventative measure, and we believed he had beaten cancer.
Sadly, this is not the end of his cancer story.
In November 2025, Vinny discovered another lump. On the 27th of November, we were given the devastating news that the cancer had returned, and this time there was no cure.
Despite this, his medical team did everything they could. Vinny began an aggressive course of chemotherapy the week before Christmas, it was an incredibly strong treatment. The side effects were severe, and he suffered kidney damage as a result, spending Christmas in hospital. His treatment had to be reduced from five days to three due to how hard it was on his body.
Vinny showed incredible strength and resilience throughout yet another battle, completing chemotherapy at the beginning of March 2026. Our family then faced a wait of almost five weeks for a CT scan to understand what would come next.
The treatment was not successful.
We have now been given the devastating news that Vinny may only have a short time left with us, something no 35 year old man and his family should ever have to face. Despite this, Vinny and his doctors continue to fight with incredible strength.
This fundraiser is to support my brother’s family - his partner Margaret, who has been by his side through every moment of this journey with unwavering strength and determination, and their beautiful 6-year-old daughter, Skylar-Hope.
The funds raised will help ease the financial burden in the difficult months ahead, allowing our family to focus on spending precious time together without added stress or worry. It will also most importantly support his daughter Skylar’s future, her education, her needs growing up, and hopefully giving her special memories from her daddy, like her first trip to Disney.
His little girl Skylar is one of the most important people in Vinny’s life, and throughout this entire journey she has given him so much strength and courage. She is an incredible, intelligent young lady, someone that Vinny is proud of every day❤️
More than anything, we all want Vinny to have peace of mind, knowing that his family will be supported.
Any donation, no matter how much, will make a difference. If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this page.
Thank you for your kindness, support, and compassion.
I love you Vinny ❤️
https://www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-vinnys-family-through-an-unimaginable-time?modal=share&source=fundraiser+story&utm_source=copy_link&utm_campaign=man_ss_icons&utm_content=amp20_t1&utm_medium=customer&fbclid=IwRlRTSARfHvJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeYCPKbx7dA-SRk3h-oqgUbs_dhPfWn_TcchAFtHVF87CqzbwxOmBnqMaV8Ps_aem_PsEaKAIezx1cThgHzuDlpg
