Who was Sydney Towle? TikTok star dies at 26 after three-year battle with rare bile duct cancer

Sydney Towle, the TikTok creator who documented her battle with rare bile duct cancer, has died aged 26. Her family announced her death on August 6, a day after she passed away.

Towle was born on November 15, 1999, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and grew up in Hobe Sound, Florida.

She graduated from Dartmouth College with degrees in Government and Environmental Studies before moving to Los Angeles, where she worked as a social media manager at Epic Games.

She later built a substantial following as a content creator, with more than 1.1 million TikTok followers and over 200,000 followers on Instagram.

Towle was diagnosed with stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma in 2023, aged 23, after noticing a bulge in her abdomen.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 8,000 people in the US are diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma each year, with the disease often detected at an advanced stage.

Over the following three years, Towle underwent surgeries, chemotherapy and experimental TIL therapy. She also openly discussed mental health, infertility and her experiences with cancer, while advocating for greater awareness and research.

In 2025, she spoke at the Cholangiocarcinoma Conference. Despite her illness, she walked the runway at Miami Swim Week and planned to run the 2026 New York City Marathon to raise funds for the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation.

Towle moved in with her mother in June 2026 as her health declined. Her brother Austin later revealed that she had entered hospice care.

Announcing her death, 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."