Who was Sydney Towle? Influencer dies at 26
What's the story
Sydney Towle, a popular TikTok creator known for her candid portrayal of life with Stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, has passed away at the age of 26. The news was shared by her family on Thursday, nearly three years after she was first diagnosed with the rare bile duct cancer. "We will always love you so much, Sydney," read the caption on an Instagram post announcing her death.
Health battle
Towle had been in hospice care
Towle, who was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma at 23, had been open about her health struggles on social media.
She underwent several surgeries, participated in multiple clinical trials, and received various forms of chemotherapy as her illness progressed.
Earlier this week, her family announced that she had entered hospice care.
"Sydney has been moved to hospice and is surrounded by her friends and family," read a TikTok post by her brother Austin Towle.
Pre-diagnosis life
How her cancer journey began
Before her diagnosis, Towle was living in Los Angeles after graduating from Dartmouth College.
She worked at a remote-office marketing job while also sharing lifestyle content on TikTok.
Her posts included everything from surfing to dance trend videos.
However, a bulge and burning sensation in her abdomen led to an urgent care visit where she was eventually diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer typically found in adults over 50.
Online impact
'I'm not a fake character'
Despite her struggles, Towle continued to inspire her followers with messages of hope and resilience.
She blended her life as a cancer patient with lifestyle posts and faced online trolls who doubted the reality of her condition.
"I'm not a fake character. I'm a person," she told The New York Times in a 2025 front-page profile.
Her journey inspired many, including Melinda Bachini of the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, who said Towle helped others understand living with serious illness.