


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 July 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.