Kathmandu— Sydney Towle, a popular social media influencer known for sharing her experience living with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of bile duct cancer, has died at the age of 26. Her family announced her death on Thursday, stating that she passed away peacefully after battling the disease for nearly three years. Towle had over a million followers on TikTok and more than 200,000 on Instagram.

Chronicling Her Journey

Towle spent her last three years documenting her daily life with cancer through social media. She shared the hopes, joys, and struggles of living with a rare form of bile duct cancer that had spread to other parts of her body. Despite her illness, she expressed optimism and joy for life, often posting videos of herself dancing, getting ready, and having fun with friends.

Final Days

In May, Towle posted a series of videos from the hospital where she was receiving treatment for complications related to her cancer. Her oncologist had told her he would no longer treat her cancer, recommending end-of-life care. However, Towle refused this recommendation and vowed to continue fighting by switching to another specialist.

Legacy and Tribute

Towle's family expressed pride in how hard she fought and for sharing her journey with so many people. They highlighted her passion for raising awareness about rare cancers and promoting self-advocacy. Following the announcement of her death, thousands of followers posted messages on Towle’s social media accounts paying tribute to her and sending well wishes to her family.

(With inputs from BBC News)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.