Dominique McShain, 21, was diagnosed with incurable cancer last year. Credit: givealittle
A 21-year-old TikTok star has died, just days after telling followers she had only weeks—or even days—left to live.
PEOPLE confirmed Dominique McShain’s death on Wednesday, April 23.
A year earlier, the New Zealand-based creator revealed she had incurable colorectal cancer.
Her exact date of death remains undisclosed.
Dominique McShain first made headlines in May 2024, shortly after her diagnosis.
A third-year psychology student at the time, she had to abandon her university plans.
Instead, she used her growing social media presence to raise awareness about colon cancer in young people.
“I was, until two weeks ago, a third-year psychology student,” she said in her first video.
She had planned to pursue clinical psychology, which would have taken another five years of study.
That video has since gained over 5.5 million views.
“I stopped work and uni because I have severe cancer, and the treatment is so intense,” she added.
McShain highlighted warning signs she had initially dismissed, like dizzy spells and blood in her stool, to educate others.
On April 6, McShain posted what she called her final update.
“I want to be direct with you all: this will be my final update on my cancer journey until I have passed away,” she wrote.
She shared that she had been given a prognosis of only a few days to a few weeks to live.
Her liver was “failing rapidly to the point of jaundice,” causing the cancer to spread and stopping her chemotherapy.
She had transitioned to end-of-life care, focusing on pain relief and managing side effects in hospitals and hospice.
Despite the devastating news, McShain expressed gratitude and peace:
“My life may be short, but I’ve squeezed every bit out of it,” she wrote.
She praised her family, friends, and her husband, Sean, calling him her rock.
She and Sean got engaged in May 2024 on her 21st birthday and married that July.
Their wedding was “the most special day ever,” she said.
McShain acknowledged the key life moments she would miss but found peace:
“The grief of what I’m missing out on is no longer overwhelming,” she shared.
“I’ve found a sense of acceptance.”
She envisioned Heaven as a place free from pain:
“I’ll be able to run, breathe, and feel whole.”
“Though it will hurt to leave you all behind, please know I’ll be at peace.”
She concluded, “I will always love you all so much and be forever grateful for each of you.”
McShain’s fundraiser, originally for treatments and travel costs, will now support her hospice care.
McShain’s impact reached beyond her audience.
By documenting her diagnosis and openly discussing symptoms, she highlighted a rising health crisis.
Colorectal cancer rates in people under 50 have been rising by 2.4% annually from 2012 to 2021, according to the American Cancer Society.
In 2020, over 1.9 million new colon cancer cases were recorded globally, with more than 930,000 deaths, per the National Library of Medicine.
Australia, New Zealand, and Europe have the highest incidence rates, and more than 107,000 new U.S. cases are expected by 2025.
“I wanted to make a difference somehow and leave something behind,” Dominique once said.
She did—more than she ever imagined.
