Nineteen-year-old TikToker Anna Grace Phelan has died less than a year after she was told she had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
Her family shared the heartbreaking news of her passing on Saturday (24 May), writing on her GoFundMe page: “It is with great sadness to announce that our beautiful daughter, Anna Grace Phelan, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“So many of you have followed her journey through a difficult battle with cancer and bore witness to her powerful testimony of faith.
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“Thank you for the countless thousands of prayers for healing and peace.”
Receiving her life-changing diagnosis in September 2024 when she was just 18, Christian influencer Anna shared with her over 140,000 TikTok followers: “This is definitely the hardest news I've ever received. By all means, this is not easy. Just going to trust in the Lord and try and keep pushing forward.”
She said her symptoms had included numbness in the left side of her face and her right leg. An MRI scan showed she had a lesion on her brain, while a biopsy confirmed she had cancer.
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Anna was diagnosed with grade 4 malignant glioma, a fast-growing brain tumor.
She shared in a video six months after her diagnosis: “The way that I felt was truly indescribable. I was so filled with fear and anxiety and I was asking God, ‘What is my purpose in life? Why did you do this to me? What did I do to deserve this?’
“There are a lot of things to be thankful for. Sometimes you have to slow down and remind yourself that things could be worse. God has a plan for you.”
Anna underwent radiation therapy and was treated with steroids as her symptoms worsened, with her suffering from breathing problems and dizziness.
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Anan shared her final video on 16 May, where she shared that NFL quarterback Tim Tebow had sent her his book as a get well soon present.
She signed off: “If you see this, thank you so much.”
In a video two days previously, she shared: “Things haven't been good. My tumour grew and it's in the area where I can't breathe.
“It can't be operated. So, I just wanted to say thank you for all the prayers. It would take a miracle, but I'm not giving up yet. If you keep praying for me, I think that I'll make it.”
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Tributes for Anna flooded in, with one TikTok user writing: "I followed your story since I first saw it a few months ago. I hope you are able to be the carefree young woman you were meant to be with God.”
Another said: “I can’t adequately express how sorry that I am for your loss. Your sweet girl touched this stranger’s heart tremendously. I can’t wait to rejoice in Heaven with her one sweet day.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Topics: TikTok, Cancer, Social Media, Health
Simon Fearn