Latest news with #DominiqueMcShain
Express Tribune
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Dominique McShain, Kiwi influencer, dies at 21 after colon cancer battle; husband shares tribute
Dominique McShain, a 21-year-old influencer from New Zealand, has died following a year-long battle with colon cancer. Her husband, Sean Suson, shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, expressing his grief and eternal love for her just days after her passing on April 23. McShain, known for her vulnerable and uplifting posts on Instagram and TikTok, was diagnosed with incurable colon cancer in April 2024. Her diagnosis forced her to leave college and stop working. Despite her illness, she built a strong social media following by candidly sharing her cancer journey. In a 20-photo Instagram carousel posted on April 26, Suson wrote, 'Our love can never be replicated nor erased… I promise I'll find you in the next one.' The post included photos and videos capturing joyful memories—wedding moments, vacations, guitar serenades, and more. McShain's final post on April 6 revealed she had "a few days to a few weeks to live." She reflected on her short life with gratitude, writing, 'I won the lottery with a family that loves me unconditionally,' and imagined a peaceful afterlife where she would be free from pain. According to the NZ Herald, her illness began with extreme exhaustion and gastrointestinal symptoms, which later revealed large liver tumors confirmed to be cancerous. Her obituary was published on the day of her death. She is survived by her husband and other family members, who have yet to release public statements. Dominique McShain leaves behind a legacy of strength, authenticity, and love.
Daily Mail
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
TikTok star Dominique McShain dead at 21 after year-long battle with incurable colon cancer
TikTok star Dominique McShain has died aged just 21 after a year-long battle with incurable colon cancer. New Zealander McShain was diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to her liver in April 2024 aged 20, and had bravely documented her final months and treatment to her near 200,000 followers on the platform. At the time, McShain - who had dreams of becoming a psychologist for troubled teens and was studying psychology at college, said doctors had given her between one and five years to live. People confirmed McShain had died a little over two weeks after she shared a final update on her social media pages revealing she had only days left to live. In a heartbreaking message on April 6, she said: 'I want to be direct with you all: this will be my final update on my cancer journey until I have passed away.' 'I've recently been given a prognosis about five days ago of only a few days to a few weeks to live.' 'My life may be short, but I genuinely think I've squeezed every bit out of it. I won the lottery with a family that loves me unconditionally, friends who would 10000% donate a liver to me or do anything they could (and probably argue over who gets to do it). She married her partner Sean Suson on July 12, 2024 and documented their nuptials and honeymoon in Thailand online. The pair had got engaged on her 21st birthday which came one month after she was diagnosed with cancer. Her post continued: 'Recently, I've been picturing Heaven often — a place where l'll finally be free from the pain that's been with me for so long. I imagine myself without the constant suffering, no longer needing medication just to survive the day. 'I'll be able to run, to breathe, to feel whole. Though it will hurt to leave you all behind, please know that I will finally be out of pain, and I will be at peace.' Her chemotherapy treatments, which she had undergone for seven months, had to stop immediately as her liver failed, leaving her skin and eyes yellow. 'At this point,' she said, 'I've transitioned into end-of-life care, focusing on pain relief and managing side effects, with so much time spent in both the hospital and hospice facilities.' 'I've been really numb to everything like I haven't really been crying,' she said in an emotional video update, the whites of her eyes tinged yellow. 'It's crazy to think that I got given one to five years originally – I got diagnosed the 19th of April – and I'm not even a year yet.' 'It just feels so surreal how fast my cancer has taken over my body and how fast it grows.' WHAT IS COLON CANCER? Colon cancer is a cancer of the large intestine (the colon). Usually, it starts with polyps, which are small clumps of cells. Gastroenterologists can see them in a colonoscopy because they are raised off the surface of the colon like a mole. Symptoms include: Blood in your stool or rectal bleeding Stomach cramps Persistant gas Never feeling like you have emptied your bowels Exhaustion Weight loss Change in bowel habits that persists for more than a month People with stage 1 tumors have a survival rate (living five years or more) of 80-95 percent. At stage 2, the survival rate is 55 to 80 percent. At stage 3, it's about 40 percent, and at stage 4 it's about 10 percent. Revealing why she had got married after her diagnosis, she said: 'When I was getting diagnosed with terminal cancer, and I learned that I'm never gonna be able to have kids, which is like such a normal thing that people get to do. 'I felt like that was taken away from me. The privilege of getting to grow old was taken from me, like so many life experiences. But one thing I could do which was normal in life was get engaged and get married.' Her diagnosis at the age of 20, which came after months of fatigue, blood in her stool, and constipation, is just one amid a surge of early-onset colorectal cancer striking people under 50. Rates of disease in people under 35 nearly doubled from 1990 to 2019, from 21,000 to 41,000, while deaths rose by 25 percent.. Colon cancer begins in the inner lining of the colon and grows into the deeper levels of cells before breaching the colon wall and invading nearby blood vessels and the lymph system. When cancer cells break off and enter the bloodstream, they enter the liver with the blood that drains from the colon. Once there, cells can escape immune detection and take hold in liver tissue. Tumor cells steal nutrients meant for liver tissue, hijack immune cells, and begin to create durable shields around tumors to survive attacks. At the start of last year, Dominique began experiencing bouts of diarrhea and constipation. Then she saw blood in her stool, a common symptom of cancer. Other common symptoms included stomach pain, anemia, and changes in bowel habit McShain was always fatigued to the point where she was not taking in any of her professors' lectures. 'I'd have a normal night's sleep but then sleep another five to six hours every single day,' she said. She added: 'I also started to develop severe abdominal pain and I also lost my appetite like, severely. I was just not feeling well.' She waited three to four weeks before going to the doctor, fearing that if she went to the hospital before her symptoms got worse, doctors would be more likely to brush off her concerns, chalking it up to normal constipation that can be easily resolved with over-the-counter treatments. Eventually, she underwent a blood test, and while her general markers were typical, ruling out myriad issues such as kidney disease or anemia, her liver blood samples showed 'abnormally high' amounts of enzymes and proteins, indicating organ damage. She had to rush to Christchurch Hospital for an ultrasound, which revealed several lumps in her colon. McShain continued to feel unwell and ultimately had a biopsy, which confirmed that she had colon cancer and only a year to five left to live. But the drastic cut to that life expectancy came after her liver began failing. She went into the hospital because doctors believed she had a build-up of fluid in her stomach. She couldn't walk or turn around and was in so much pain that she was in tears. Doctors conducted an ultrasound to locate the pockets of fluid and found none. She said days ago: 'Unfortunately, later in the afternoon, after the oncologists had some discussion, they basically worked out that all the stuff I'm getting is caused by my cancer and liver failure and not anything to do with fluid. Which led them to tell me that I only have a few short days to a few short weeks to live. 'I fought as hard as I could, truly,' she added. 'I find comfort in knowing I won't have to suffer everyday soon.'
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Popular Influencer Dies Of A Disease That A 21-Year-Old May Never See Coming
Influencer Dominique McShain, who chronicled her life with terminal colorectal cancer at a surprisingly young age, has died. She was 21. Earlier this month, McShain wrote on Instagram that she had perhaps days to live and would be posting no longer. 'My life may be short, but I genuinely think I've squeezed every bit out of it,' she wrote. 'I won the lottery with a family that loves me unconditionally, friends who would 10000% donate a liver to me or do anything they could (and probably argue over who gets to do it).' McShain listed the milestones she packed into her last year and beyond, including her wedding ('the most special day'). 'Recently, I've been picturing Heaven often — a place where l'll finally be free from the pain that's been with me for so long. I imagine myself without the constant suffering, no longer needing medication just to survive the day. I'll be able to run, to breathe, to feel whole. Though it will hurt to leave you all behind, please know that I will finally be out of pain, and I will be at peace.' McShain, from New Zealand, began to open up about her cancer journey last year on TikTok, building a following that grew beyond 200,000. She was diagnosed at age 20 while she was a third-year psychology student, hoping to become a clinician. The cancer had already spread. Colorectal cancer is on the rise among the very young, and it's proper for even those in their 20s to pay attention to warning signs such as constipation, rectal bleeding and changes in bowel movements, according to Yale Medicine. Foul Play Not Ruled Out In Death Of Former Child Star, Report Says Rock Legend Carlos Santana Suffers Medical Emergency Before Concert Internet Calls 'BS' On George Clooney's Marriage Claim
NDTV
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
New Zealand Influencer Dead At 21 After Cancer Battle, Shares Heartbreaking Final Post
Dominique McShain, a 21-year-old influencer from New Zealand, has died after bravely documenting her battle with bowel cancer on TikTok. She was diagnosed with incurable colorectal cancer at 20, which had spread to her liver. Her death was confirmed by People on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Although the exact date of her death is not known, Ms McShain had shared a final update on April 6, revealing she had entered end-of-life care due to her rapidly deteriorating condition. In the heartbreaking post, the young TikTok star said she was recently given a prognosis "of only a few days to a few weeks to live." Ms McShain had gained over 200,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram by documenting her cancer journey, aiming to raise awareness about colorectal cancer in young adults. In her final post, she expressed gratitude for her life, family, and friends, stating, "My life may be short, but I genuinely think I've squeezed every bit out of it. I won the lottery with a family that loves me unconditionally, friends who would 10000% donate a liver to me or do anything they could and the sweetest husband Sean, who's been my rock through everything." See the post here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dominique McShain (@dominiquemcshain) "Recently, I've been picturing heaven often — a place where l'll finally be free from the pain that's been with me for so long. I imagine myself without the constant suffering, no longer needing medication just to survive the day. I'll be able to run, to breathe, to feel whole. Though it will hurt to leave you all behind, please know that I will finally be out of pain, and I will be at peace," she wrote. Ms McShain was pursuing a psychology degree when her diagnosis interrupted her studies. In 2024, she was given a prognosis of one to five years to live. Despite her terminal diagnosis, she married her partner Sean Suson and honeymooned in Thailand in December 2024. She said they had to rush their love story as she didn't have the privilege of time. "The privilege of getting to grow old was taken from me, like so many life experiences. But one thing I could do which was normal in life was get engaged and get married," she wrote.
New York Post
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
TikTok star Dominque McShain dead at 21 after colon cancer battle, telling fans she only had ‘days, weeks to live'
A 21-year-old TikTok star has died from colon cancer after she announced to her followers earlier this month that she was given weeks to live by her doctor. Dominique McShain's death was confirmed by PEOPLE on Wednesday, a year after the New Zealand-based influencer revealed she had been diagnosed with incurable colorectal cancer last April. The exact date of her death is still unknown. 4 Influencer Dominique McShain died after a year-long battle with colon cancer. Givealittle McShain wrote a heartbreaking Instagram post to her followers on April 6, sharing that she would no longer be posting content as she neared the end of her life. '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. 'I've recently been given a prognosis about five days ago of only a few days to a few weeks to live.' She shared that her liver was 'failing rapidly,' which caused her cancer to spread and made it impossible to receive treatments, including the chemotherapy she had been on for the last 7 months. 'At this point, I've transitioned into end-of-life care, focusing on pain relief and managing side effects, with so much time spent in both the hospital and hospice facilities,' McShain shared. The TikToker said that, although her life may be short, she 'genuinely' felt she had 'squeezed every bit out of it.' 'I won the lottery with a family that loves me unconditionally, friends who would 10000% donate a liver to me or do anything they could (and probably argue over who gets to do it), and the sweetest husband, Sean, who's been my rock through everything – before and after my diagnosis,' McShain wrote. 4 McShain wrote a heartbreaking Instagram post to her followers on April 6, sharing that she would no longer be posting content as she neared the end of her life. Instagram / Dominique McShain The social media star got engaged to her boyfriend Sean Suson in May 2024, on McShain's 21st birthday, and months after her cancer diagnosis. The couple tied the knot that July. 'Of course, there are so many key adult moments I won't get to experience, things I won't get to be or have, and that's something I've had to come to terms with,' McShain wrote in her April 6 post. 'The grief of what I'm missing out on is no longer overwhelming, though. Recently, I've found a sense of acceptance.' The TikTokker told her followers that all the bad news she's received from the doctors over the last year has 'desensitized' her to 'the pain,' but also allowed her to find 'peace' with her situation. 'Recently, I've been picturing Heaven often — a place where l'll finally be free from the pain that's been with me for so long. I imagine myself without the constant suffering, no longer needing medication just to survive the day,' she wrote. 4 The TikToker said that, although her life may be short, she 'genuinely' felt she had 'squeezed every bit out of it.' Instagram / Dominique McShain 'I'll be able to run, to breathe, to feel whole. Though it will hurt to leave you all behind, please know that I will finally be out of pain, and I will be at peace.' McShain concluded her post by expressing her gratitude to her loved ones and followers for being in her life. The 21-year-old content creator had built her following of over 200,000 followers across social media by spreading awareness of symptoms she was experiencing during her battle with colon cancer. In her first video on TikTok in May 2024, McShain shared how the cancer ended her college career before she could graduate. 'I was, until two weeks ago, a third-year psychology student, and I wanted to do clinical psychology eventually. And that would take another five years to study for,' McShain said in the video, which garnered more than 5.5 million views.'Basically, I stopped work and uni because I have such severe cancer, and the treatment is so intense.' 4 The 21-year-old content creator had built her following of over 200,000 followers across social media. She also said she wanted to raise awareness about her illness. 'I wanted to make a difference somehow and leave something behind and hopefully help people,' McShain said. 'I know that cancer is getting a lot more common in the colon for younger people, so I really wanted to eventually share my symptoms and raise awareness.' In 2020, there were over 1.9 million new cases of colon cancer recorded worldwide, and more than 930,000 people lost their lives to this disease, according to the National Library of Medicine. Australia, New Zealand, and Europe had the highest rates of being diagnosed with colon cancer. In the US, it is estimated that there will be more than 107,000 new cases of colon cancer by the end of 2025 — with more than 54,000 being diagnosed in men and more than 52,000 in females, according to the American Cancer Society. From 2012 to 2021, the rates among individuals under 50 years old have risen steadily, showing an alarming increase of 2.4% per year.
