Christina Bonadonna
Christina is sharing her story to remind others of the importance of early detection, listening to your body, and taking action when something doesn’t feel right.
Christina Bonadonna
Christina is sharing her story to remind others of the importance of early detection, listening to your body, and taking action when something doesn’t feel right.
The Moment Everything Changed
For Christina Bonadonna, everything started with something routine. A mammogram. A checkup. The kind of appointment you go to expecting everything to be fine.
But in August 2025, that routine appointment became something else entirely. Christina was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, a type of breast cancer.
Within weeks, everything began to move quickly. She underwent surgery that included two lumpectomies and the removal of three lymph nodes. Then came a plan that would reshape the months ahead. “One of the hardest moments was being told I needed chemotherapy.” In an instant, what had once felt predictable no longer was.
Only a few years earlier, Christina had watched her mother go through her own battle with breast cancer. At the time, she remembers thinking, I could never do what she did. Now, she was facing that reality herself.
Facing The Unknown
Since that moment, Christina’s life has been marked by constant movement forward, through surgery, through an intensive treatment plan of chemotherapy, radiation, and ongoing hormone therapy.
There were the physical challenges: the surgeries, the port, the scars that would remain long after treatment ended. The side effects she hadn’t anticipated. The dryness, the exhaustion, the small but constant reminders in her body that things were different.
And then there were the moments in between. The ones where one phase of treatment hadn’t even finished before the next was already being discussed. The conversations that came too quickly. The days that felt overwhelming.
But early on, Christina made a decision. She wasn’t going to let this experience take more than it already had.
So she found ways to reclaim the moments in between. She created countdowns, themed her chemo days, and found reasons to laugh, even when it felt difficult. She shared her journey, letting people in and allowing herself to be supported. And through it all, she carried a phrase with her, one that became a reminder on the hardest days to push forward and keep going: “Tira Avanti.”
Because she was never doing this alone. Her husband stood beside her through every appointment, every unknown, every step forward. Her children became a source of strength she can’t fully put into words. Her family, her friends, and even people she had never expected showed up providing her with reminders that she was surrounded by care.
“Life is so precious and relationships are so meaningful.”
What Bravery Looks Like Now
Christina is still in active treatment, but what has already changed is how she sees the world around her.
Health feels different now. Time feels different. The small things that once felt overwhelming have faded into the background, replaced by a deeper appreciation for what truly matters.
She’s learned to slow down and make space for herself, holding onto the moments that matter most. For Christina, bravery isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about continuing forward, even in the middle of uncertainty.
“Being brave means putting one foot in front of the other when you may not want to.”
Stand with Christina
As a Show Us Your Brave Ambassador, she’s sharing her story to encourage others to take care of their health, stay on top of appointments, and not wait when something doesn’t feel right.
For Christina, speaking openly is about more than reflecting on what she’s been through. It’s about helping others understand the importance of early detection and reminding people that listening to your body and taking action can make all the difference.
“Get those scans done. Don’t wait. Early detection matters.”
By supporting Christina, you’re helping ensure more people in our community have access to exceptional cancer care, close to home, and that no one has to face a diagnosis alone.
