TikTok Star Rachel Yaffe Said She ‘Lost So Much of My Strength’ in Final Cancer Update Before Her Death at 27

Over one month before her family confirmed her death at age 27 on Oct. 11, Rachel Yaffe posted a final TikTok video reviewing her “life updates and priorities” amid her treatments for stage 4 liver cancer.

She told her social media followers that she had returned to her New York apartment after a recent radiation treatment. The influencer — who was diagnosed with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma at age 20 — said she felt “so grateful” to be back in her own space and surrounded by her friends, but admitted that it wasn’t a particularly easy transition.

“I lost so much of my strength when I was getting radiation, and I’m starting from day one,” Yaffe explained in her video posted on Sept. 1. “It’s been so hard to get up and force myself to move, so I’m working on doing that.”

She also shared how she was “working really hard” to adhere to a strict diet meant to promote cancer healing, which was also “taking up a lot of energy” and occasionally working against her lowered appetite, Yaffe said in the 58-second clip.

“It’s been a little bit difficult both physically and mentally, but I’m working on really just focusing on the small things that bring me joy, and really, really prioritizing my mental health as well,” Yaffe concluded in the TikTok, which has reached over 459,000 viewers on the app.

Since Yaffe’s family announced her death in an obituary online, hundreds of her followers have taken to the video’s comments section to mourn the late influencer.

“Fly high beautiful girl! You’ve inspired so many,” wrote one user. Another commented, “I have been looking for an update everyday. I have been following Rachel for years. I am so heartbroken.”

Yaffe opened up about the highs and lows of her rare cancer journey on her social media platforms, giving her followers insight into her day-to-day healing regimen. In an Instagram Reel posted in June, Yaffe said she had lost her “ability to walk for a while,” though she had recovered and could be seen dancing with a friend in the clip.

In another video from December 2023, Yaffe said that she was a Division 1 lacrosse player before she was diagnosed with cancer. “The sports field was my happy place,” she wrote in the overlaying text.

“I have so many dreams for my future [and] am passionate about sharing my life journey with others so they can skip the tough times and head straight for the joyful, healthy ones,” she continued.

In her obituary, Yaffe’s family noted that they are accepting donations to Experience Camps, a nonprofit dedicated to grieving children.