The TikTok logo is displayed on the screen of a smartphone placed on a reflective surface onto which an abstract illustration in blue and pink is projected. (Photo by Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
TikTok creator Sydney Towle has died after battling cholangiocarcinoma, a rare form of bile duct cancer. She was 26.
What they're saying:
Her family announced her death Thursday morning, sharing a photo of Towle smiling during a hike with the sun shining behind her. In a heartfelt tribute, they wrote, "We will always love you so much, Sydney. I am so proud of how hard you fought. I love you."
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Dig deeper:
The heartbreaking news comes just two days after Towle's brother, Austin Towle, shared in a TikTok video that she had been moved to hospice care and was "surrounded by her friends and family," according to TMZ.
About two weeks before her death, Towle updated fans on the clinical trial she was participating in, which involved tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy. She said she had been largely absent from social media because of the constant pain she was experiencing but remained hopeful as she spent the previous month in the hospital.
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Towle was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer, in 2023 after noticing a lump protruding from her abdomen. She documented her cancer journey on social media, inspiring many and building a following of more than 1.2 million across TikTok and Instagram.
In June, the Dartmouth graduate walked in Post Swim's The Chemo Club collaboration during Miami Swim Week and also collaborated with Aerie.
The Source: The information in this story comes from a statement shared by Sydney Towle's family announcing her death, previous social media updates from Towle and her brother, Austin Towle, and reporting by TMZ, which provided additional details about her hospice care, cancer journey, clinical trial treatment, and recent public appearances. This story was reported from Los Angeles.