At 23, Sydney Towle was living a bright, full life—until she felt a lump after a run and heard the words: “likely carcinoma, multiple enhancing masses.” What followed was a diagnosis of Stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer usually found in people decades older. Sydney started sharing her journey online to stay connected and hopeful + quickly became a viral TikTok star with over 4 million followers. But as her story spread, the internet turned cruel. Reddit forums accused her of faking cancer. Brands distanced themselves. Strangers sent death threats. She survived the viral campaign against her and is opening up about the emotional, physical, and spiritual lessons she’s learned while living with indefinite chemo and facing life’s biggest questions. Sydney shares:
- Receiving her rare cancer diagnosis alone in a parking lot.
- How she knew it was cancer before she was diagnosed + her advice for others.
- Why she chose to share her story on TikTok
- Surviving a viral hate campaign of people on the internet accusing her of “faking cancer”
- The mental battle of pretending to be “just a normal 25-year-old” while living with a rare cancer
- Dating while in chemo + redefining love
- The mantras that keep her going.
- Why she no longer believes “everything happens for a reason” but still believes in kindness, empathy, and intuition.
- Using humor and disassociation to cope with cancer treatment
- Fertility preservation and cancer
- How friendships change + who shows up when life gets hard
- Finding hope when there is no finish line in sight
- Life lessons at 25: what really matters when time feels stolen.
Follow Sydney’s journey on TikTok + Instagram
Book Recommendation: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
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