After a hard-fought battle against Cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of liver cancer that effects approximately 8,000 people in the U.S. per year, (a far smaller number of whom are as young as Christian), Christian passed away on Sept. 1, 2021 at the age of 23. At Christian's request, and according to his wishes, we launched this fund to honor Christian and his core beliefs, which he exemplified so beautifully in his daily life: kindness inspires kindness, and no act of kindness is either too small or too large.
Christian was a 2016 graduate of Pine Richland High School and a 2020 graduate of Cook Honors College at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, (Magna Cum Laude), where he majored in International Studies, Asian Studies and Theater.
Christian had planned to attend graduate school for Public Policy in fall 2021. The focus of the career which he envisioned following graduation became crystalized during the year he spent battling cancer: advocacy aimed at advancing support for research into Cholangiocarcinoma and improvements to healthcare access for people around the world afflicted with this disease. He was especially determined and hopeful of working to make a difference for people in the developing world, afflicted with Cholangiocarcinoma.
Christian, a natural and passionate thespian, captivated his audience from the time he was a little boy climbing atop his first stage, the coffee table in the living room of our first home in Shadyside, where he would perform a variety show, singing and telling jokes for visitors! He performed as the lead in many plays and musicals during his middle and high school years at Pine Richland schools, and was also a member of the Pine Richland band's percussion team, freshman through senior years, and served as Pine Richland's president of the International Thespian Society his senior year.
Christian actively worked with Keystone Musical Theater, as well as the CLO. At IUP, as a member of the theater team, Christian performed in the production Boeing, Boeing, as well as other plays. He was a member of IUP’s Sketch Comedy Group and a radio personality co-host on IUP's Local Limelight, a weekly radio show.
Christian was a member of the U.N. and NATO teams at IUP and made frequent trips to Washington, D.C. He was fascinated by other cultures, especially Asian studies. Christian believed deeply in the importance and joy of understanding and loving and advocating for all people.
Christian believed that kindness is always the way to others’ hearts, and he was naturally inclined toward generosity to others, even people he would meet for the first time, and of course his cherished family and friends. Christian would often say, “I just want to do nice things for people.”
During Christian’s illness, he would ask us most days, "What is good about today?” It was his daily reminder to us that we had to focus on all that is good within each day, and to make the very most of it. He never asked “Why me?” or expressed anger at the world for his circumstances. Instead, following the onset of his illness, he led us in appreciating the beauty that existed in our post-diagnosis, altered lives—no less than before his diagnosis—and in many ways even more so.
Christian always put the needs of others before his own. He believed that kindness inspires kindness. He desired to change the world with one random act of kindness at a time. He was tremendously passionate and possessed immeasurable sensitivity and compassion in so many directions.
Among Christian’s foremost interests, from which we will generate and consider ideas for support in his honor, include (listed in no particular order): drama and dramatic theater for youth, music, pets/animals and their welfare, natural sites and places (trees/parks and youth recreation), outer space exploration and education, Cholangiocarcinoma and other rare cancer patient/research advocacy, child adoption, and the communities in which he lived and received his education, Pine Richland and Indiana, Pennsylvania.
We are partnering with Young Adult Survivors United (YASU), the largest community in western Pennsylvania to help young adult cancer survivors and their co-survivors in the greater Pittsburgh region. YASU provides survivors the ability to cope and thrive from emotional, social, and financial support under professional guidance and with peers who understand and can relate.
We are also partnering with Allegheny County's North Park to help provide North Park Latodami Nature Center with needed supplies such as binoculars and telescopes to enrich and grow their Star Program for young children.
Recommendations for support will be made to The Pittsburgh Foundation, of 501(c)3 charitable recipients, by our family, as advisors to the Christian Cochran Legacy Fund.
We are very appreciative of your kindness and desire to better the world out of respect for Christian and in his honor. Learn more at christiancochran.org (This is an external site. The Pittsburgh Foundation is not responsible for the content.)
Cochran Family
-Chris, Danielle, Kate and Nicholas
Type of Fund
- Advised