Sydney Towle has died at 26 after living with an aggressive form of cancer.The news was announced on Towle’s social media pages on Thursday, Aug. 6, one day after her reported death.“We will always love you so much Sydney,” the caption reads. “I am so proud of how hard you fought. I love you.”

Sharing Towle died on Wednesday, Aug. 5, the post featured her posing on a mountain peak with the words: “Rest in Peace Sydney Elizabeth Towle. An endless ray of sunshine. A daughter, a sister and friend to so many.”Sydney Towle.Sydney Towle
Her older brother, Austin Towle posted the same message on his own TikTok page, calling her the “best sister ever.”

On Aug. 4, Austin posted a photo on TikTok to announce his sister had entered hospice care. The image showed her family and friends gathered around her hospital bed. “Sydney has been moved to hospice and is surrounded by her friends and family. Thank you all for your love and support❤️,” Austin wrote in overlaying text.

The influencer was initially diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer, at the age of 23. Since then, she documented her life with over 1 million followers on TikTok. She had several surgeries, participated in multiple clinical trials and underwent multiple forms of chemotherapy treatments as her illness progressed.

Sydney Towle at the Chemo Club x Post Swim runway show during Miami Swim Week on May 26, 2026.Thomas Concordia/Getty
In May 2026, the social media star posted several videos of herself in the hospital, where her mother stayed by her side as Towle was treated for pain and other complications related to her illness. On May 17, Towle learned her cancer had spread and was present in her peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdomen and pelvis, per the Cleveland Clinic.

Two days later, Towle filmed herself sitting with her mom as she recounted an exchange she had with her doctor about the status of her cholangiocarcinoma. The content creator said her oncologist had refused to continue treating her cancer and urged her to begin end-of-life care.

Towle refused the suggestion, and she switched to seeing a new specialist. At the time, she was in between stages of a clinical trial involving tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, which she intended to continue.
Sydney Towle.Sydney Towle
“I was definitely in complete shock because, as my mom and I had said in that video that I made afterwards, we had never been told that that was the path that we were going towards,” she told PEOPLE. “No one had ever mentioned hospice or end-of-life care. So to be told that, we were both expecting just to have a conversation with him that morning about my treatment plan.”

Days after her doctor declined to treat her, she flew down to Florida for Miami Swim Week, where she modeled beachwear designed for post-cancer bodies in The Chemo Club x Post Swim show. Towle was joined on the runway by three other women who are or were in cancer treatment.

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“I’ve struggled a lot with a post-surgical body, especially having this hepatic artery pump placed in my stomach that is very obvious when I’m in a bathing suit,” Towle told PEOPLE before the show. “Being able to walk for a swimwear brand that is empowering women to embrace those scars … is so empowering, and it makes me feel even more proud to be in the body that I am that has carried me through so much.”

Towle’s condition declined fairly consistently in the lead-up to her death. In June 2025, Towle posted an emotional update after receiving unsettling news about her cancer. In a two-minute TikTok, the influencer explained that it was the first time her medical team explicitly told her “this isn’t good” as they discussed her health. “Which obviously is not what you want to hear when you have cancer,” she added.

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The timing of the operation meant that Towle had to cancel a trip she had planned for that time, and she expressed the increasing difficulty of maintaining a positive attitude. “This just isn’t what I thought my life was gonna be like,” she said through sobs.

Towle spoke to PEOPLE in May 2025 and discussed her initial diagnosis, which came after she noticed a large bump protruding from her abdomen. She said it is “extremely rare” that someone her age would receive a diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma. “I don’t fit any of the demographic factors,” Towle noted to PEOPLE.

Sydney Towle.Sydney Towle
According to the Mayo Clinic, the disease begins in the slender tubes that carry digestive bile and is associated with symptoms like abdominal pain, fatigue, fever and night sweats. It mostly affects people over the age of 50.

Her TikTok and Instagram videos garnered millions of views over the course of her health journey. Speaking to PEOPLE, she shared how connecting with and helping others gave her a “purpose” amid the trying experience.

Sources: https://people.com/tiktok-star-sydney-towle-dies-after-documenting-rare-cancer-diagnosis-11757229