You'll never walk alone - walk on, with hope in your heart.
Nolan Thomas O’Brien passed on Sunday, November 8 , 2026, after a three year battle with cancer. 11 years old and a student at Rosa International Middle School, Nolan was beloved by his family, his friends, and his community. He loved sports, the Shore, Cheetos, his friends, root beer, dancing, his brother Harry, and his family. He was funny, patient, caring, and growing so fast.
The O'Brien Family
16 hours ago5 min read
We're On Nolan's Time
This post has been incredibly difficult to write, but it's a long time coming. You're likely aware that Nolan was admitted to CHOP on September 10 with new symptoms related to tumor growth. We had learned from his MRI scans in late June that his tumors had shrunk, and we were thrilled. Nolan had a relatively typical summer while fighting delayed side effects from his CSI radiation. He attended his beloved Sunrise summer camp, thanks to the amazing and caring staff there. He s
Jean O'Brien
Oct 52 min read
Mid Summer Check-In
Brotherly Love Hello! We hope you all are enjoying summer, it's hard to believe it's almost over (shhh). We refuse to accept it! Nolan had a rough start to summer, experiencing something called somnolence which can occur following radiation. It mostly involves extreme fatigue. We have done our best to combat it with steriods and as much rest as possible. Nolan, the warrior he is, has been pushing to attend camp and get glimpses of as much of a normal summer as possible.
Jean O'Brien
Jul 292 min read
Life Updates
Life has been quite a whirlwind for Nolan and our family. We began January with the clinical trial which consisted of weekly visits to the CHOP day clinic for chemo IV treatments along with daily doses of various medications. It took some time, but Nolan finally got used to swallowing meds and getting poked weekly for chemo and standard bloodwork. Once we got a rhythm we were hit with news that Nolan had some growth in his spinal tumor. His trial doctor was concerned that
Jean O'Brien
May 312 min read
