Two-time Olympian Ciara Mageean dies at 34 after cancer battle
Irish middle-distance runner and two-time Olympian Ciara Mageean has died at 34, following a battle with bowel cancer. Her family announced her death in a post on her Instagram account on November 1, saying she passed away surrounded by loved ones. “At 6:30 am this morning, Ciara lost her battle with cancer surrounded by her loved ones. A beloved daughter, sister, wife, friend and inspiration to so many, she will be deeply missed,” her family wrote in the statement. In June 2026, Mageean revealed in an interview with Irish public broadcaster RTÉ that she had been diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, which had spread to several parts of her body. Mageean said she first noticed something was wrong after experiencing changes in her usual bowel habits. Her partner, Tommy Moran, encouraged her to see a doctor, leading to her diagnosis. According to the World Health Organization, around 10 million people die of cancer across the globe each year. Of course, these numbers also include famous people who lost their battle with the disease. Unfortunately, the list is long. In this gallery, you’ll find the most famous names who lost their lives to this terrible disease. Read on to discover them.