A Journey of Resilience and Joy
In a powerful display of courage, Sydney Towle has shared her experience of walking the runway at Miami Swim Week, despite being in significant pain. The 26-year-old content creator, who was diagnosed with a rare bile duct cancer three years ago, made a defiant appearance at The Chemo Club x Post Swim runway show on May 28. Her decision to participate came just weeks after her oncologist advised her to transition to end-of-life care.
Towle, who is based in New York City, has since returned home and reflected on the emotional and physical toll of the event. She described the experience as a “dream come true,” but admitted that it was not without its challenges. On TikTok, she shared with her one million followers that while the trip wasn’t easy on her health, she wanted to continue doing things that brought her joy.
“I haven’t been showing it because I’ve been trying to take in as much of the week as possible and enjoy it, but I have been in a lot of pain, and I’m still extremely nauseous,” she said.
Despite the discomfort, Towle emphasized that she doesn’t want to stop doing “things that are fun.” She also mentioned that she plans to seek further medical help at urgent care, but she believes that participating in the event wouldn’t have made her any less free from pain.
“If you see a video of me in the hospital, it’s just because I feel safer there sometimes when I’m in pain,” she continued. “Regardless of if I had gone or not, I would be in pain and nauseous. That’s just the nature of where I’m at right now.”
Towle became emotional as she reflected on how meaningful the event was for her. “I don’t want to stop doing things that are fun,” she said. “I really just want to have fun with my friends, and I did, and that’s all I could ever ask for. So, I’m very grateful.”
Her participation in the event came shortly after her oncologist decided to stop treating her and suggested she focus on end-of-life care. In a video, Towle expressed her refusal to give up.
“We are not at the point where we’re giving up,” she said.
The post-Miami Swim Week debrief sparked an outpouring of support from social media users. One person commented, “I think that trip was great for your mental health. That’s important too.” Another added, “My oncologist tells me to go live my life. Rest when you can but live your life. Sending prayers.”
A third user echoed similar sentiments: “People don’t understand that you can’t always wait until there’s a good time or a good day to do things. Not all of us have the luxury, live for today and now.”
Towle was just 23 when she was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in early August 2023 after doctors discovered a “sizable mass” in her stomach that had been growing for four months. Bile duct cancer, also known as cholangiocarcinoma, is an aggressive type of cancer that starts in the bile ducts. It can affect people of different ages, but it is more commonly diagnosed in adults over the age of 50.
In November 2024, Towle, whose tumor arose from a genetic mutation, admitted that the most challenging aspect of her journey has been dealing with the unknown.
“It’s tough for me to plan for the future at all or expect anything when everything is so fragile around my diagnosis and treatment,” she said. “It’s also really hard to plan in the short term, such as dinners or going out with friends, when I don’t know how I’ll feel physically or emotionally on a given day.”
She also shared her desire to make the most of her time, even though she can’t plan her bucket list or any fun trips while receiving treatment and not knowing where surgery will take her.
“There are so many things I want to do now, given that I don’t know how much longer I have,” she said. “But I can’t plan my bucket list or any fun trips while receiving treatment and not knowing where surgery will take me.”
