A cancer influencer has tragically died aged 43.
Mum-of-one Marcela França Brito passed away on Monday (9 Feb).
The sad news was announced to her 56,600 Instagram followers yesterday (10 Feb).
Marcela regularly shared content about lifestyle and fitness, as well as her treatment journey, after being diagnosed with cervical cancer.
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She discovered she had the human papillomavirus (HPV) during a routine test at the age of 24.
While it is a common infection spread through sexual contact, only high-risk strains of the virus can develop into cancer.
She remained under regular medical monitoring for years before receiving the devastating diagnosis nearly 15 years later, aged 39.
Marcela’s last social media post was in October last year, as reported by Need To Know.
Earlier that month, she fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, with her 10-year-old daughter, Giovanna.
She is also survived by her husband.
The post announcing her passing read: “Marcela always used to say: ‘Family is everything.’ May that memory comfort and unite us at this moment.
“What truly matters is what you – and the people who love you – carry in your hearts.”
Marcela’s remains will be cremated today (11 Feb) in a private family ceremony, following her funeral in Sete Lagoas, Brazil.
Her followers have flooded her page with condolence messages, including her mother, Solange, who wrote: “My daughter, I will love you forever – with each passing day, a little more.”
Janice added: “Marcela always shared her love of life with us – and you could really feel it. Her smile will live on forever. My condolences to all her family and friends.”
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