A TikToker has passed away after a seven-year battle with a rare form of cancer.
Rachel Yaffe, 27, died on Friday, October 11. In the years following her diagnosis, she used social media to document her journey, offering support and inspiration to her followers.
At just 20, the Lutherville, Maryland native was diagnosed with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma, an extremely rare liver cancer that affects only around 200 people worldwide each year. Her symptoms initially suggested gluten intolerance, but further tests revealed a 20cm tumor in her liver, and she was diagnosed with stage four cancer.
Although the tumor was successfully removed, the cancer returned months later, spreading to her liver and lungs.
Rachel’s last post on Instagram, where she had 7,000 followers, and TikTok, where she had over 54,000 followers, was on September 1.
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMhf45bxK/
Speaking to her TikTok followers, she shared: “I’m back in New York, and it feels amazing to be in my apartment again. Being in my own space has made me so happy, but honestly, it hasn’t been easy being back. I’m incredibly grateful to be surrounded by my friends, and that’s been a huge help for my mental well-being. I lost a lot of strength during radiation, and now I’m starting from square one.”
“It’s been so hard for me to get up and force myself to move so I’m working on doing that, thankfully it’s easier to walk around here being in the city.”
Her obituary states that she is survived by “her loving parents, Linda (née Bass) and Wayne Yaffe; her beloved siblings, Jordan and Jessica Yaffe; her dear grandmother, Sydney Bass; and her cherished dog, Layla.”
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