Olivia Finch, the bright-eyed six-year-old whose courage captured hearts across Cardiff and the wider Welsh community, passed away peacefully at home on April 8, 2026, surrounded by love after a courageous battle with stage four neuroblastoma that began with her diagnosis at just two years old in 2021.
Olivia’s family, which included her parents, Kelly and Nick Finch, as well as her older sister, Megan, supported her through several relapses with the same joyful spirit that characterized her brief life. Olivia first became seriously ill in 2021, going through more than 40 days of vomiting and difficulty walking before doctors confirmed the aggressive childhood cancer.
As her story spread throughout Cardiff and beyond, Olivia maintained a strong connection to her Bryn community in Neath Port Talbot throughout her life. Her sincerity, empathy, and authenticity transformed even the most trying hospital days into moments of warmth and laughter, and she gained the respect of many.
A community that had rallied around her from the start—raising funds for clinical trials and offering unwavering support—found in Olivia an inspiration that united strangers in hope, with her family’s public updates showing a little girl who never lost her kindness or her fierce independence no matter what the illness brought.
Olivia taught those around her more in six years than most people learn in a lifetime, and her loved ones have described her legacy as pure sunshine whose smile could brighten the darkest days. Olivia’s bravery during her illness is a powerful testament to her character, as she approached every challenge with resilience, hope, and dignity.
Olivia Finch will always be remembered as the happiest, nicest young girl with the largest heart, her light continuing to guide and comfort everyone who was fortunate enough to meet her, even if her loss has caused great pain to family, friends, and everyone who followed her path.
