EXCLUSIVE Georgia Harrison emotionally recalls her ‘trauma’ after losing her childhood best friend Cenk Fahri to leukaemia: ‘I wasn’t ready to accept that he would actually die’
Georgia Harrison has opened up about the ‘traumatising’ experience of losing her childhood best friend Cenk Fahri to leukaemia.
The former Love Island star, 29, has reflected on her close friendship with her ‘cheeky’ and ‘fun-loving’ best friend Cenk, and her devastation following his death.
Cenk was first diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when he was 17 years old, and he got a bone marrow transplant from his brother Cengiz in 2015.
However, seven years later, Cenk tragically died at the age of 26 on December 21, 2021, with Georgia describing it as the ‘worst Christmas of my life’.
Speaking in support of Leukaemia UK’s Christmas Appeal, Georgia has reflected on how she was left ‘absolutely traumatised’ following the loss of her best friend.
Georgia Harrison has opened up about the ‘traumatising’ experience of losing her childhood best friend Cenk Fahri to leukaemia
Cenk (pictured with Georgia) was first diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when he was 17 years old, and he got a bone marrow transplant from his brother Cengiz in 2015
She told the charity: ‘You’d think after all that time of him being ill, it wouldn’t have come as a shock – where he’d had so many treatments and overcome it so many times, I wasn’t ready to accept that he was going to leave. I just remember being absolutely so traumatised.
‘Even when he was given 6 months to live, he still convinced us all that he was gonna be fine. I remember my best friend’s Mum called to tell me the news, and she said “Cenk’s gone”, I said – “gone where? Gone to the shop? What do you mean, gone?” And she said, “no, he’s gone, he’s passed away”.
‘I was absolutely traumatised. I think because he’d had so much treatment, and because he’d been so ill before but always gotten over it, I just wasn’t ready to accept that he would actually die.’
Georgia, who met Cenk when they were teenagers, also recalled the devastating moment Cenk told her that he had been diagnosed with the form of blood cancer.
She said: ‘Cenk was diagnosed when I was 17. I remember being in my Dad’s house in Marbella, and when he rang to tell me the news, I was just devastated.
‘I couldn’t stop crying. At age 17, you don’t expect to be told that your best friend has cancer.’
Georgia told how Cenk always stayed ‘so positive’ during his treatment, no matter how unwell he became, and confessed that it ‘humbled’ her and taught her not to be ‘ungrateful’ for her own health.
However, seven years later, Cenk tragically died at the age of 26 on December 21, 2021, with Georgia describing it as the ‘worst Christmas of my life’
Former Love Island star Georgia, 29, has reflected on her close friendship with her ‘cheeky’ and ‘fun-loving’ best friend Cenk, and her devastation following his death
In 2015, Cenk had a bone marrow transplant from his brother Cengiz, with Georgia saying it allowed her to have another six years with her best friend.
‘It was such a successful treatment for Cenk. We got five to six more years of life with Cenk and for those years, he was completely healthy,’ she said. ‘We travelled the world, he had such a great life, and it was all thanks to that treatment.’
However, Cenk sadly fell ill again years after the transplant, and tragically passed away just four days before Christmas in 2021 at the age of 26
Reflecting on her friendship with Cenk, Georgia added: ‘Cenk was so full of life. So cheeky, so fun-loving. He just had this incredible way about him – everywhere he went people just loved him. He had the biggest heart.’
Georgia spoke about Cenk’s cancer battle in support of Leukaemia UK’s Christmas Appeal, which hopes to help raise the vital funds needed to support life-changing research into the disease.
Georgia said: ‘There are so many amazing treatments out there now, and if it wasn’t for charities like Leukaemia UK, these treatments wouldn’t be available – but there is so much more than can be done.
‘There are so many more treatments to be discovered, and I don’t want families to keep having that empty seat at the dinner table at Christmas.
‘I want there to be a cure for leukaemia, so the best thing we can do is fund research and try to find more treatments.’
Georgia spoke about Cenk’s cancer battle in support of Leukaemia UK’s Christmas Appeal, which hopes to help raise the vital funds needed to support research into the disease
Fiona Hazell, Chief Executive of Leukaemia UK, added: ‘Christmas can be a very difficult time for families impacted by leukaemia – whether because they’ve lost a loved one, or because they or someone close to them is undergoing gruelling treatment that sadly, is not always successful.
‘We firmly believe that research has the power to stop leukaemia devastating lives, and that’s why we’re investing in world-class research to find kinder, more effective treatments.
‘We can’t do that without support from the public, and we’re so grateful to Georgia and to Cenk’s family for bravely sharing their story to raise awareness. Please consider giving what you can to Leukaemia UK this Christmas and help us to stop leukaemia from devastating more lives.’
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