Brave: Newcastle woman Christina Taylor hated the term.
“When people called her brave, she said she wasn’t given another alternative but to fight,” her twin sister, Emily, says.
“And that’s what she was, a fighter.”
In April 2018, Christina was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer at the age of just 29.
She underwent surgery in Sydney in September, which was considered a success, but doctors found fluid build-up on her lungs during a check-up prior to chemotherapy.
“We got to plan our 30th birthday together in February 2019 and had such an amazing party, surrounded by friends and family,” Emily says.
“After our birthday, Christina’s breathlessness and pain became worse.
“Not thinking anything of it, she continued to soldier on and put it down to the fluid build-up.”
A scan during Christina’s chemotherapy showed a collapsed lung and it was later confirmed the fluid on her lungs was due to a recurrence of the cancer.
On Anzac Day, Christina was taken to the emergency department in excruciating pain.
While the cancer had now affected her liver and other organs, she again continued with surgery and chemotherapy.
However, Christina sadly ran out of time to fight and she passed away last month.
Despite losing her best friend, Emily remains as determined as ever to raise awareness of cancer in young people and honour the Calvary Mater Hospital, where Christina stayed.
Last year, she donated proceeds from a Dry July campaign to go towards the hospital’s oncology services.
This time around, Emily is backed by an army of fundraisers called Christina’s Cancer Warriors, with the group already raising more than $10,000.
“I hear a lot of people back away from someone when they hear they are sick or have lost someone as it makes them awkward or they don’t know what to say, but it’s not what should happen,” Emily says.
“It is at this time they need you the most, and we have been pretty fortunate having that support system.”
Emily says bowel cancer needs to be thoroughly ruled out, not dismissed due to a patient’s age.
“If it doesn’t feel right, get it check out. If you don’t think your doctor has been thorough enough, get a second opinion,” she says.
“Your life is the most important thing you have in this world, don’t settle – always fight.”
Visit dryjuly.com/teams/christina-s-cancer-warriors if you’d like to donate to the campaign.
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