Sydney Towle, a 26-year-old TikTok influencer who openly documented her fight with cholangiocarcinoma, or bile duct cancer, died peacefully on August 5, 2026, in New York City surrounded by friends and family, her brother said [1, 2].

Towle was diagnosed with this rare and aggressive cancer in 2023 at age 23. She quickly began sharing videos on TikTok and Instagram about her treatments, including chemotherapy, surgeries, hospital stays, and clinical trials, gaining over one million followers through her candid and hopeful updates [1, 3, 4, 5].

In May 2026, Towle revealed that her cancer had spread to her peritoneum, stomach, and lungs, causing serious complications. Despite her oncologist recommending end-of-life care, Towle refused and sought additional treatment options, posting a video about her decision on May 19 [1, 2, 6, 7].

Throughout nearly three years of battling cholangiocarcinoma, Towle was noted for her positive attitude and efforts to raise awareness for rare cancers. She once told followers, "People always ask why I'm so positive... why would I not envision the best-case scenario? The other option would simply be to just be sad" [2]. Another message from her read, "Go get a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, watch your favorite movie, remember that life is good and bad things happen sometimes but that doesn’t make it a bad life" [3].

Towle fulfilled a personal dream by modeling in a swimsuit show at Miami Swim Week, proudly showing her surgery scars on stage [1, 5].

In early August 2026, she was moved to hospice care as her condition declined [1, 2]. Her family and legions of followers posted tributes online following news of her death, celebrating her courage and impact [1, 3, 4].

Towle's nearly three-year public journey raised awareness about cholangiocarcinoma, a cancer with few treatment options and low survival rates. Her brother Austin Towle said, "Syd went peacefully last night after an almost three-year-long battle with cholangiocarcinoma. Sydney is surrounded by her friends and family. Thank you all for your love and support" [1, 2].