Sydney Towle, the TikTok creator who documented her yearslong battle with a rare bile duct cancer for more than 1 million followers, has died at age 26. Her family announced her death on August 6, 2026, one day after she passed away surrounded by loved ones.
“An endless ray of sunshine. A daughter, a sister and friend to so many,” read the tribute posted to her Instagram. “We will always love you so much, Sydney. I am so proud of how hard you fought. I love you.” Her brother Austin had shared just two days earlier that she entered hospice care.
Towle was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma in 2023 at just 23, a cancer that primarily affects people over 50. She noticed a burning sensation and lump in her abdomen, which doctors initially thought might be a hernia. Despite multiple surgeries, chemotherapy rounds, and clinical trials, the cancer eventually spread to her pelvis, abdomen lining, and lungs.
In May, Towle’s oncologist told her to begin end-of-life care. Her response? “No. We are not at the point where we’re giving up.” She switched hospitals and continued fighting. Just days later, she walked the runway at Miami Swim Week for a swimwear brand designed for post-cancer bodies, one of her proudest moments.
“People always ask why I’m so positive,” she said in a TikTok. “Why would I not envision the best-case scenario? The alternative is to just be sad. Miracles happen every day.”
