Editor's note (Aug. 6, 2026): Sydney Towle died on Aug. 5, 2026, at the age of 26, after living with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer she documented with extraordinary honesty on TikTok. We are leaving this June profile largely unchanged to reflect the community she built and the impact she had on more than 1.1 million followers. You can read Mashable's obituary honoring Towle and her legacy here.

Sydney Towle has built a large online community by documenting living with cancer in real time. The 26-year-old creator, who lives in New York, shares candid TikTok videos about undergoing treatment for cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer that typically affects people decades older than she was when she was diagnosed at 23.

Towle’s account has grown to over 1 million followers on TikTok, where viewers follow her updates on chemotherapy treatments, clinical trials, and the emotional realities of navigating illness as a young adult. Her videos often move between the everyday and the existential: hospital visits, walks through the city, and reflections on fear, fatigue, and what it means to live with uncertainty and feel like you're not in control of your own life.

You May Also Like

Unlike many social media narratives about illness that emphasize constant optimism, Towle’s posts frequently acknowledge the more complicated emotional terrain of treatment. In recent videos, she has spoken openly about the psychological disorientation that can accompany chemotherapy and the challenge of processing life events while going through treatment.

That openness has turned her account into more than a personal diary. In the comments, followers share their own diagnoses, stories about loved ones with cancer, or messages of support, transforming her page into a kind of digital support network.

As more people turn to social media for connection around health experiences, Towle’s videos show how creators can reshape how illness is discussed online.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms

, the

gear they swear by, and the

trends they see coming next. Read more of our

creator coverageor see more of this year’st

Mashable 101o discover the internet's most exciting voices.

Crystal Bell is the Digital Culture Editor at Mashable, where she leads coverage of the creator economy, internet culture, and digital life. Her work focuses on the people, platforms, and communities shaping modern entertainment, from YouTube creators and livestreamers to fandoms, social media trends, and the evolving relationship between technology and culture. She also oversees the Mashable 101, the publication's annual list recognizing the internet's most influential creators.

Previously, she was the entertainment director at MTV News, where she helped expand the brand's coverage of fan culture, K-pop, and the internet's most passionate communities. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Rolling Stone, PAPER, NYLON, ELLE, Glamour, NME, W, The FADER, and elsewhere on the internet.

She's exceptionally fluent in fandom and will gladly make you a K-pop playlist and/or provide anime recommendations upon request. Crystal lives in New York City with her two black cats, Howl and Sophie.