Sydney Towle Finds Strength in Vulnerability, A TikTok Star's Poignant Cancer Journey

18 June 2025

Sydney Towle

Sydney Towle’s voice trembled as she broke down in tears in her latest TikTok video, revealing the gravity of her progressing bile duct cancer. The 25-year-old influencer, diagnosed at 23, has been recording every step of her rare cancer journey, and on June 17 she delivered news that hit hardest yet. After a routine scan, doctors informed her that the disease was advancing, a turning point that required immediate action. Towle confessed in the video that she has scheduled surgery for June 30 to implant a hepatic pump, a device that will deliver high-dose chemotherapy directly to her liver. She also plans to begin an experimental chemo treatment afterward.

Towle opened the update with strained composure. After the scan “they said, ‘This isn’t good,’” she recounted, her voice quivering as she admitted how deeply the words unsettled her. The future piece of equipment would necessitate a five-day hospital stay and forced her to cancel a planned vacation she had been looking forward to. She expressed whispered hopes of traveling someday, her voice catching in tears as she spoke softly about the fracturing of normal expectations.

This procedure marks a shift in her fight. For the first time since her diagnosis, she will receive treatment directly in the liver, bypassing systemic side effects and delivering concentrated doses that might slow the cancer’s advance. Towle described the surgery as daunting but essential as she pushes forward determined to do what is necessary.

Sitting with her followers, she spoke openly about how maintaining optimism had become a struggle. She admitted the emotional weight of her battle was growing heavier, yet she also acknowledged that preserving a hopeful mindset remained vital. “This just isn’t what I thought my life was going to be like,” she confessed through tears, her vulnerability resonating with thousands.

Towle’s journey began in May 2023, when unusual symptoms, an unexplained abdominal bump and burning discomfort led doctors to conduct scans and biopsies. At just 23 years old, she was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a type of bile duct cancer that typically affects people over the age of 50. From her first post about her diagnosis, she has maintained transparency, sharing not only test results and treatment updates but also her emotional highs and lows.

She endured an aggressive early protocol that included a liver resection, gallbladder removal, and lymph node excision. Initial chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments followed, but complications caused doctors to halt them. Despite setbacks, she transferred her care to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where she continued experimental therapies and kept fighting.

Managing the physical toll is one challenge but the mental strain of being a young cancer patient is another. Towle has spoken candidly about feeling out of sync with her peers, watching them move through life while she wrestles with testing and treatment. For someone who once trained for the Los Angeles Marathon and embraced an active lifestyle, adapting to a changed body has been emotionally taxing .

Yet even in her darkest moments, Towle has found purpose in her audience. With more than 812,000 followers on TikTok and a community of 63,000 on Instagram, her platform has become a space for solidarity, education, and hope. She often shares private messages she receives from young adults wrestling with their own diagnoses, to families searching for guidance. That sense of connection motivates her to continue sharing.

A recurring obstacle has been living with an “invisible illness.” Despite undergoing major surgeries and treatment, Towle has received disbelief because she does not present like typical cancer patients. She has faced hurtful comments like “You don’t look sick.” But she uses these moments to challenge misconceptions, advocating broader compassion and understanding.

Backing Towle’s journey is a close-knit support system. She credits her family, her mother and brother, friends from Dartmouth and LA, and medical teams for keeping her anchored. Her mantra of resilience evolves, not just for herself but for all the people looking to her for signs they are not alone .

As she prepares for her upcoming June 30 surgery, Towle remains grounded in honesty. She wrestles with fear, exhaustion and the unpredictability of treatment but promises to continue sharing every step. This transparency is not just bravery, but an act of influence unbeholden to filtered perfection .

In an age where influencer culture often centers on glamorized highlights, Towle has redefined the genre. Her story is raw and unfiltered. She refuses to shy away from the reality of her illness, showcasing a powerful example of how vulnerability can foster collective empathy. Every tear, every update, every challenge she shares builds a mosaic of resilience that radiates far beyond TikTok.

Recently, she uploaded a brief video expressing anxiety about the upcoming procedure, her fear almost palpable. She looked into the camera and said softly Pajamas might become her armor for the hospital stay. Her bravery lies not in denying fear, but in leaning into it with fierce honesty.

Sydney Towle is not just a TikTok star. She is a voice for invisible illness, a mirror of shared human fragility, and a testament to the ups and downs that define us all. Her story is still unfolding and its openness continues to heal, challenge and inspire.