Georgina Hamilton – A Lasting Legacy

Last week, the Aoraki Foundation lost a treasured trustee. Georgina (George) Hamilton’s courageous eight-year battle with cancer came to a heartbreaking conclusion. Surrounded by her loved ones at Hospice, she faced her final moments with the same grace and strength that defined her life.

As an organisation, the Aoraki Foundation family is grieving, but our loss is only a fraction of what others have endured. A family has lost a daughter, a wife, and a mother. Gresson Dorman has lost an integral part of their team. The professional advisors community has lost a respected colleague. South Canterbury has lost one of its finest champions.

George had a warmth that made everyone feel at ease—a welcoming smile, a presence that reassured and uplifted. She touched our hearts with her kindness, resilience, and unwavering generosity.

At the Aoraki Foundation, we speak of legacy—of gifts to the community that endure far beyond one lifetime. But legacies are not only financial. They are built on values, beliefs, social impact, and lessons that inspire generations. Georgina Hamilton left us a legacy in its truest sense—an example of how to face adversity with dignity, courage, and heart.

These are the three values that George embodied—and the three gifts she leaves with me.

Positivity

George never let her illness define her. She always kept smiling, always focused on those around her. One of her close workmates shared that few could tell when she was struggling; she carried herself with such grace. George didn’t want sympathy—she wanted presence. She lived in the moment, choosing gratitude over grief, hope over fear.

Resilience

George was tough. As she said to me more than once, “I just have to put on my big girl pants and get on with this.” She refused to dwell on what could have been, instead channelling her strength into what still could be. She was strong for her family, determined to reassure and uplift them. And she didn’t keep her strength to herself. She shared her journey openly, delivering inspiring talks on resilience. These presentations were inspiring, she captivated audiences, but I believe at the same time she was reassuring herself, - I can get through this, I am strong.

Generosity

Even as time became most precious, George continued to give hers freely. She remained committed to causes close to her heart, serving on the South Canterbury Mammography Trust and speaking to groups about her journey. When I invited her to join the Aoraki Foundation board, her only hesitation was whether she had enough time to contribute—never whether she should.

I carry a quiet guilt about that invitation. When I asked her to serve, I didn’t consider the time I was asking her to give—time away from her family, time they will never get back. But I remind myself that George made her own choices. And she chose to give.

A community foundation is not about today—it is about shaping a better future for our children. I believe George took on this role for that very reason: to do what she could, while she could, for a world she knew she would not see.

Her legacy is more than words. More than financial gifts. More than memories. It is a way of living—an ethos we carry forward. We are honoured that George will forever be part of the Aoraki Foundation story, just as we are privileged to be part of hers.

You will always be with us, Georgina, for now, forever

💛 Richard and all of our Aoraki Foundation family