Sydney Towle dies at 26: Everything to know about the TikTok creator's rare cancer journey

Sydney Towle, a TikTok creator who documented her three-year battle with a rare bile duct cancer for more than a million followers, has died at the age of 26. Her family announced her death on Thursday through a video posted on her TikTok account by her older brother, Austin, one day after she passed away.

Towle had spent the past six weeks in hospital undergoing tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy, an experimental form of immunotherapy. Days before her death, Austin revealed that she had entered hospice care after exhausting all available treatment options.

Towle was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer, at the age of 23. She chose to document her journey online, sharing chemotherapy sessions, surgeries, clinical trials, hospital visits, and everyday moments such as walks through New York City, dance parties, and time with friends.


Her TikTok account became a candid record of life with a serious illness. Towle spoke openly about the exhaustion, anxiety, and emotional toll of treatment while continuing to hold on to hope.

Two phrases became synonymous with her journey: "Just keep swimming" and "Today's a great day to have a great day." They evolved into rallying cries for the community she built, with followers using them to encourage her and later to comfort one another after her passing.

Even after doctors recommended transitioning to end-of-life care earlier this year, Towle sought a second opinion and continued pursuing treatment, sharing every step of the process with her audience.

Her openness transformed her account into more than a personal diary. It became a supportive community where cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and others shared their own experiences, celebrated milestones, mourned setbacks, and offered encouragement.

Earlier this year, Mashable recognized Towle as a Mashable 101 nominee for her authenticity and the meaningful community she fostered online.

During the past month, as she underwent TIL cell therapy, millions of viewers followed updates from her hospital room, hoping the experimental treatment would bring a breakthrough.

Towle often said her platform was not meant to inspire but to honestly document what it meant to navigate a terminal illness as a young adult. Through her videos, she showed that living with cancer is not defined solely by perseverance or tragedy, but by uncertainty, humour, disappointment, joy, and the routines of everyday life.

Her influence extended beyond raising awareness of cholangiocarcinoma. She demonstrated how social media can create meaningful connections, offering comfort and a sense of belonging to people facing some of life's most difficult challenges.

On Thursday, the community Towle spent three years building came together to mourn her loss and share how she had touched their lives. While many first discovered her because of her diagnosis, they said it was the life she shared—and the honesty with which she shared it—that they will remember.

"She fought really hard, and we're so proud of her," Austin said in the announcement video, thanking the millions of people who followed her journey and supported the family.

Towle's mother also expressed gratitude, saying, "We love you, and thank you for all of your kind messages of support and love... She will not be forgotten."