Marisa’s story in memory of her sister Adriana

My beautiful sister, Adriana Fiora Giustra, was the kind of person whose strength could light up the darkest room. She was full of love, laughter, and an incredible will to fight—but most of all, she was selfless.

Adriana was fit, active, and incredibly healthy. She took care of her body, exercised regularly, and lived a clean lifestyle. She rarely got sick. She was the last person you’d expect to hear the word ‘cancer’ associated with.

It started with mild stomach aches, which she thought were caused by something she ate. She also noticed blood in her stools, but when she saw the doctors, they initially assumed it was just haemorrhoids. Then one night, the pain in her stomach became unbearable, so she took herself to the emergency department. That’s when everything changed.

They found cancer in her bowel.

In June 2023, Adriana was diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer. It was a crushing blow, but she faced it with unimaginable courage. She began chemotherapy every two weeks and responded so well that we allowed ourselves to hope. The doctors told us she had one to two years to live—possibly five—but Adriana was strong, determined, and her body was handling treatment better than anyone expected. She was fighting with everything she had.

Further scans revealed that the cancer had already spread—to her liver, her lungs, and her lymph nodes. Still, we stayed hopeful. Her first results showed shrinkage in some areas, and that was enough to keep us going. But the chemotherapy wasn’t working in her lungs. The cancer there kept growing and spreading, and she needed radiation on her lungs to try and stop it.

The radiation brought on a severe cough that never left her. By late November, the pain in her back was intense, and blood tests showed dangerously low magnesium levels. She was admitted to another hospital for treatment.

She never came home again.

Her breathing began to fail. They tried to remove fluid from her lungs, but the cancer had spread too far. She needed oxygen constantly—without it, she couldn’t breathe. Even in those final days, she never stopped fighting. She was doing it for her family, for the people she loved most. She wanted to see her nieces and nephew grow up. She dreamed of watching them get married. She was looking forward to a family trip to Italy.

At 6:36 AM on Christmas Day, December 25, 2023—exactly six months after her diagnosis—Adriana passed away, surrounded by her loving family.

She was just 45.

Her loss has left a pain in our hearts that words can’t capture. A daughter, a sister, an aunty, and a friend—we lost a light in our lives that will never be replaced.

Christmas for us is no longer a day of joy. It is now a day that painfully reminds us of the moment we lost the most beautiful person in our family. What was once a time of celebration is now marked by heartbreak, forever changed.

But we are not telling her story for sympathy. We are telling it to raise awareness.

Adriana was a fighter, and if she had been screened earlier—if the free bowel cancer screening age had been lowered—she would still be here. We believe that with all our hearts.

She did everything right. She was healthy. She was strong. She listened to her body. But the system wasn’t there for her.

Bowel cancer is not just an ‘old person’s disease.’ Adriana was proof of that. It’s never too early to listen to your body. Pay attention to your symptoms. Push for answers. Advocate for yourself. And demand earlier screening.

We will continue to speak up, for her. For others like her. This is our way of making sure her life, and her battle, were not in vain.

Forever our Christmas angel. Forever young.

This is for you, Sissy. We love you.

Our one piece of advice:

If something doesn’t feel right, listen to it. Speak up. Push for answers.

Don’t wait. Don’t say, “I’ll do it tomorrow” or “I’ll do it next year.”

Live your life to the fullest—because tomorrow isn’t promised.