Peter William O'Reilly came into the world during a defining moment in Australian sporting history.
In February 1937, his father — the legendary leg spinner Bill "Tiger" O'Reilly — was helping Australia retain The Ashes. Peter was born into that moment, but his own legacy would be built on something quieter: faith, generosity, and an abiding care for others.Raised in Sydney, Peter studied Pharmacy at the University of Sydney and built a pharmacy business alongside his lifelong friend Ron Daly. He was married to his adored wife Lorelie for over 60 years, raised four children, and was blessed with seven grandchildren. Guided by a deep Catholic faith, he was a man who made people feel genuinely seen — remembering the small details of their lives, because to Peter, they were never small.
Peter and Lorelie's connection to Children's Cancer Institute grew through their daughter Cathy's long-standing role at the Institute. Over the years, they watched with pride and deep interest as its work advanced, and felt a profound compassion for the families walking one of life's most difficult roads.
They saw the science, the dedication, and the hope. But more than that, they felt a deep compassion for the families navigating unimaginable challenges. Peter understood that while he could not change every story, he could help shape the future.
In choosing to leave a gift to Children's Cancer Institute in his Will, Peter ensured that his lifelong generosity would live on far beyond him — extending care and hope to children and families he would never meet, but whose lives he chose to fight for.
Today, cancer still takes more children's lives in Australia than any other disease. Every week, three precious young lives are lost. Children's Cancer Institute is the only independent medical research institute in Australia that is wholly dedicated to childhood cancer. Our focus on translational research aims to move research discoveries from the lab bench to hospital bedsides as quickly as possible.
We are deeply grateful for Peter's extraordinary gift, which will have a profound and lasting impact on our mission to find safer, more effective treatments, and ultimately, a cure for every child with cancer.
He lived with integrity and gave without condition. Peter's legacy is a testament to the power of a life well lived — and the enduring difference one person's generosity can make.
Today, cancer still takes more children's lives in Australia than any other disease. Every week, three precious young lives are lost. Children's Cancer Institute is the only independent medical research institute in Australia that is wholly dedicated to childhood cancer. Our focus on translational research aims to move research discoveries from the lab bench to hospital bedsides as quickly as possible.
We are deeply grateful for Peter's extraordinary gift, which will have a profound and lasting impact on our mission to find safer, more effective treatments, and ultimately, a cure for every child with cancer.
He lived with integrity and gave without condition. Peter's legacy is a testament to the power of a life well lived — and the enduring difference one person's generosity can make.
