Sydney Towle, the TikTok creator who inspired millions by sharing her battle with a rare bile duct cancer, has died at the age of 26. She passed away on August 5, with her family announcing the news a day later.
Who Was Sydney Towle?
Sydney Elizabeth Towle was born on November 15, 1999, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and grew up in Hobe Sound, Florida. She graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Government and Environmental Studies before moving to Los Angeles, where she worked as a social media manager at Epic Games.
Towle later became a popular content creator, building a community of more than 1.1 million followers on TikTok and over 200,000 followers on Instagram. Her father, Philip Towle, died in 2016. She is survived by her mother, Elizabeth Morrow, and her brother, Austin.
Her Cancer Journey
In 2023, at the age of 23, Towle was diagnosed with stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer, after noticing a bulge in her abdomen. According to the American Cancer Society, about 8,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with the disease each year, and it is often detected at an advanced stage.
She later moved to New York City for treatment. Over the next three years, she underwent surgeries, chemotherapy and experimental TIL therapy, while also speaking openly about her mental health, infertility and cancer journey. In 2025, she was a speaker at the Cholangiocarcinoma Conference to help raise awareness about the disease.
Her Final Months And Legacy
Despite her illness, Towle continued pursuing her dreams, walking the runway at Miami Swim Week for The Chemo Club x Post Swim show and planning to run the 2026 New York City Marathon to raise funds for the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation.
As her health declined, she moved in with her mother in June 2026, and days before her death, her brother Austin revealed that she had entered hospice care.
26-year-old influencer Sydney Towle has passed away after a three-year battle with cancer.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 6, 2026
Towle had shared her cancer journey on TikTok and shared early cancer detection signs with her followers.
"Rest in Peace to the best sister ever. Sydney fought so hard and was always so… pic.twitter.com/0QRzSRWo7P
Announcing her passing, Austin said, "She fought really hard, and we're so proud of her." Her family added, "We will always love you so much Sydney. I am so proud of how hard you fought. I love you."
Tributes Pour In
Heartfelt tributes poured in after her death, with supporters thanking Towle for raising awareness about rare cancer and inspiring countless people through her journey.
Rest in peace Sydney Towles, who embodied the idea of living with and not dying from cancer. May her memory be a blessing. https://t.co/DgdHDXF4nD
— Jessie (Stuart) Ross, MD (@JessieStuart316) August 6, 2026
Mourning Syd. Saw news of her passing just as we flew past a spectacular Mt. Rainier. Syd reminding me that we always have the choice to spread beauty and light. Happy to be here Syd. Thank you for your example. God bless you. ????https://t.co/cMzSCMTOv9 pic.twitter.com/pvkJ5TfXdA
— Kate Rouch ????️ (@kate_rouch) August 6, 2026
“Syd had a keen sense of how sharing her life could help others, and she used that to promote understanding of young adults facing cancer, the importance of research funding and the beauty of living life in the moment,”@melinda_bachini in @nytimes https://t.co/CXWxdmkGRA
— Julia Maués (@itsnot_pink) August 6, 2026
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