TikToker Kimberley Nix Dead at 31 from Metastatic Sarcoma, Leaves Final Video for Followers: 'I've Passed Away'
Kimberley Nix was a 28-year-old medical resident when she was diagnosed with metastatic sarcoma
Kim/Instagram
Kimberly Nix in the hospital.Three years after being diagnosed with metastatic sarcoma, Dr. Kimberley Nix died on Wednesday, May 8.
The 31-year-old from Calgary, Alberta, first gained attention in 2021 after she began documenting her cancer journey on Instagram and TikTok. At the time of her diagnosis, Dr. Nix was 28 years old and in her third and final year of her internal medicine core residency. She is survived by her husband, Michael MacIsaac.
Over the years, Dr. Nix's account amassed over 137,000 followers, with many of her TikTok videos reaching over a million people. Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE in April, the doctor shared how her goal was to educate people about sarcoma and inspire them to keep living life, despite its obstacles.
"I only have one thing in my life that is tough or hard right now. Yes, it is serious, but [it's] just one thing," Dr. Nix said at the time. "Life is so much more. It’s friends, family, pets, your career, the perfect temperature first sip of tea, the beautiful snow-tipped mountains."
She continued, "So many people go through so much more with so much less to be thankful for. Seeing the beautiful parts of life each day helps me stay grounded and focused on what’s most important to me, and keep pressing forward with more treatment."
Kim/Instagram
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During the interview, Dr. Nix explained how she was initially diagnosed with extra-skeletal osteosarcoma, but later found out she actually had undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma as "having an evolving diagnosis is common in sarcoma because there are over 100 subtypes," she explained.
According to the National Cancer Institute, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma typically forms in the soft tissue (though it can also form in bone) and usually occurs in the legs, arms, or back of the abdomen.
"Symptoms of sarcoma are so important because there is no screening test. My symptom was the most common symptom in soft tissue sarcoma. [Everything was] completely normal — including all my lab values — except for a small, but rapidly growing lump in my left leg," she said.
"Mine changed rapidly, which led me to see my doctor right away. It went from the size of a pea to the size of a golf ball in just over a week," she continued, adding how she took a chemotherapy pill every day for treatment.
The day she died, Dr. Nix posted one last video to her account, which has reached over 4.6 million people.
In the video, she said, "Hello followers, if you're seeing this message I have passed away peacefully. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Kim, hi! It's so nice to meet you and you're welcome to check out all the cool sarcoma facts, information and my lived experience with death and dying with sarcoma cancer. You don't have to go just because you're new."
She continued, "I love you all, thank you so much for this amazing opportunity. I'm in happy tears because you've all made me find so much purpose in the end of my life."
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