TikToker Kimberley Nix dies at 31, shared journey to metastatic sarcoma

Three years after diagnosing metastatic sarcoma, Dr. Kimberley Nix on Wednesday May 8th.

The 31-year-old from Calgary, Alberta first gained attention in 2021 when she began documenting her cancer journey on Instagram and TikTok. At the time of her diagnosis, Dr. Nix was 28 years old and was in the third and final year of her residency training in internal medicine. She is survived by her husband, Michael MacIsaac.

Over the years, Dr. Nix has amassed over 137,000 followers, with many of her TikTok videos reaching over a million people. In an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE in April, the doctor shared that her goal is to educate people about sarcomas and inspire them to keep living despite the obstacles.

“I only have one thing in my life right now that is difficult or hard. Yes, it’s serious, but (it’s) just a thing,” Dr. Nothing back then. “Life is so much more. It’s friends, family, pets, career, the perfect temperature when you take your first sip of tea, the beautiful snow-capped mountains.”

She continued: “So many people are going through so much more and have so much less to be grateful for. Seeing the bright side of life every day helps me stay grounded and focused on what matters most to me and keep moving forward by pursuing more treatments.”

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During the interview, Dr. Nix that she was initially diagnosed with extraskeletal osteosarcoma, but later discovered that she actually had undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, as “evolving diagnosis is common in sarcomas as there are over 100 subtypes,” she explained.

According to the National Cancer Institute, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma typically forms in soft tissue (although it can also form in bone) and usually occurs in the legs, arms, or back of the abdomen.

“The symptoms of sarcoma are so important because there is no screening test. My symptom was the most common symptom of soft tissue sarcoma. (Everything was) completely normal — including all of my lab values ​​— except for a small but rapidly growing lump in my left leg,” she said.

“Mine changed quickly, which prompted me to see my doctor immediately. In just over a week it grew from the size of a pea to the size of a golf ball,” she continued, adding that she took a chemotherapy pill every day of treatment.

On the day of her death, Dr. Nix one last video on her account, which has reached over 4.6 million people.

In the video, she said: “Hello followers, if you see this message I passed away peacefully. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Kim, hello! It’s so nice to meet you and you.” Feel free to check out all the cool sarcoma facts, information and my lived experiences 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 for this amazing opportunity. I am in tears because you all made me find so much meaning at the end of my life.”