TikTok star Sydney Towle, who chronicled her cancer battle, dies aged 26

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:50:06 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The 26‑year‑old influencer, known for sharing her journey with rare bile duct cancer, passed away after a three‑year fight.

Sydney Towle, a TikTok and Instagram sensation, died at 26 from complications of bile duct cancer that had spread to her body. After nearly three years of battling cholangiocarcinoma, she was moved to hospice care and passed peacefully. The death was announced by her family on social media, where her followers flooded the account with tributes. Towle was celebrated for using her platform to raise awareness of rare cancers and champion self‑advocacy, inspiring thousands along the way. Her legacy continues as her community honors her spirit and resilience.

TikTok star Sydney Towle, who shared her cancer journey online, dies aged 26

Sydney Towle wearing a purple bikini top and light jacket walking on a pink runway — Sydney Towle recently fulfilled her dream of modelling at Miami Swim Week

Sydney Towle, a popular social media influencer, died on Thursday from complications related to bile duct cancer that had metastasised to other parts of her body. She was 26.

Her family announced the death on TikTok, where her brother Austin and mother posted a quiet message. He said, "Syd went peacefully last night after an almost three‑year‑long battle with cholangiocarcinoma."
All her followers, numbering over a million on TikTok and 200,000 on Instagram, posted tributes in the hours that followed.

Twice a year, Tuesday‑night, Towle posted updates that revealed the depth of her fight – daily chemotherapy, a hepatic artery pump on her stomach, and often a full‑body scan that showed new scars and challenges.

Despite her illness, she shared joyous moments – dancing at parties, getting ready for selfies, and setting off for Miami Swim Week where she walked a series of swimsuits for The Chemo Club x Post Swim show. Her captions encouraged friends to fight on and smile: "Go get a pint of Ben & Jerry's, watch your favourite movie, remember that life is good".

With a mission to raise awareness, she turned every step of her treatment into a public conversation about rare cancers and patient advocacy. “We are so proud of how hard Sydney fought and for sharing her journey with so many people,” her family said in a statement. They added, "She wanted to raise awareness for rare cancers and was passionate about promoting self‑advocacy. We will continue her legacy and honour her in every way we can."

The sudden loss has left fans and fellow influencers in mourning, and a wave of comments promised to carry her voice forward, while her followers have pledged to keep her inspirational message alive through ongoing cancer research fund‑raisers.