Woman with aggressive bile duct cancer shares tearful Christmas message after revealing warning signs

A young woman suffering from aggressive bile duct cancer shared an emotional Christmas video message from the hospital.

Sydney Towle, from California, has been documenting her journey with the disease since she was diagnosed in August 2023 at the age of 23.

In a video posted on Christmas Eve, Sydney, now 24, became emotional about something she heard while receiving chemoimmunotherapy.

“Being in chemotherapy and hearing someone ring the bell knowing they and their family are getting the best Christmas present ever,” she wrote in the video.

The short video showed her sitting in a brown hospital chair during her treatment, wiping tears from her eyes.

Sydney’s followers quickly rallied around her with heartfelt messages of support.

One user responded to the comments, saying, “And you will ring the bell, girl.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, another wrote: “I can’t wait for you to sound the alarm.”

She fought back tears while being treated after hearing a fellow patient ring the bell

Sydney has nearly 700,000 followers on TikTok, where she documents her health journey

“It may not mean much when it comes from a stranger, but it’s so incredible that after everything you’ve been through with this, you can still find happiness for other people,” a third added.

“You are such an empathetic sweet girl,” said a fourth. “I can’t wait for your turn at that bell.”

A fifth added: “It will happen to you darling! It is a mother’s intuition. I really feel like you’re doing well. You got this.”

Sydney received chemo-immunotherapy for the first time this week – a cancer treatment that combines chemotherapy and immunotherapy to treat cancer.

“I’m very grateful to be with my family, but I feel very sick,” she said in another recent TikTok.

‘I feel very nauseous and very tired, so I occasionally fall asleep in a dark room until I feel better.

‘Sometimes all you can do is sleep in, but I’m still very happy to be here.’

Bile duct cancer, also known as cholangiocarcinoma, is an aggressive form of cancer that begins in the bile ducts.

Sydney has been receiving chemo-immunotherapy – a cancer treatment that combines chemotherapy and immunotherapy – all week

She admitted to feeling nauseous and tired after the treatments

In August 2023, Sydney was diagnosed with bile duct cancer for the first time

The disease can affect people of different ages, but is more commonly diagnosed in adults over 50 years of age.

Sydney was diagnosed with the disease after doctors discovered a “significant mass” in her stomach that had been growing for four months.

“I’m normally an active person, but suddenly I started feeling short of breath and a strange burning sensation took hold in my stomach,” she previously told DailyMail.com.

The young woman admitted that she had initially overlooked her symptoms and urged others not to skip their regular health checks.

‘After ignoring my symptoms, I finally decided to go to the doctor. They did an ultrasound, then an MRI and a biopsy,” Sydney explained.

‘When I received the first MRI results and they indicated a solid mass in my liver, I just knew it was cancer.

‘I immediately called my family and tears streamed down my face. It took a long time for me to fully understand the reality of my diagnosis.”

Sydney, whose tumor stemmed from a genetic mutation, admitted that dealing with the unknown was the most challenging aspect of her journey.

“It’s hard for me to even plan for the future or expect anything when everything is so fragile surrounding my diagnosis and treatment,” she said.

‘It’s also very difficult to make short-term plans, such as dinners or going out with friends, when I don’t know how I’ll feel physically or emotionally on any given day.