A young woman who gained widespread attention for discussing the initial symptoms of colorectal cancer has shared a heartbreaking update regarding her condition.
Dominique McShain, just shy of turning 21, was informed she had an incurable form of colorectal cancer.
At the time, Dominique was in her third year of studying psychology, but the life-altering news led her to leave university to pursue her aspiration of exploring the world.
She became dedicated to increasing awareness about her cancer and has been actively engaging on her social media channels to inform others about her journey.
Her first TikTok video, posted last year, amassed a viewership of 5.5 million.
In one particular video, Dominique shared some early symptoms she noticed but initially overlooked, such as dizzy spells and blood in her stool.
After her diagnosis, doctors informed Dominique she had one to five years remaining, and she recently told her followers that she is now in end-of-life care.
On Instagram yesterday (April 6), Dominique provided what she mentioned would be her last update about her cancer journey.
“I’ve recently been given a prognosis about 5 days ago of only a few days to a few weeks to live,” she wrote.
“My liver is failing rapidly to the point of jaundice and the cancer is progressing quickly. Because of this, I’m no longer able to receive any treatments, including the chemo I’ve been on for 7 months over last year.
“At this point, I’ve transitioned into end-of-life care, focusing on pain relief and managing side effects, with so much time spent both in the hospital and hospice facilities.”
Dominique’s poignant post continued: “My life may be short, but I genuinely think I’ve squeezed every bit of out 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.”
She described their wedding day as ‘the most special day ever’.
“Please never forget I will always love you all so much and I will be forever grateful for the role each of you have played in my life,” Dominique concluded her final post.
Dominique has established a fundraising page for support, and donations can be made here.
The contributions so far have aided in covering the costs of the 21-year-old’s treatment, her adventures, and will now support her hospice care.
If you’ve been impacted by similar issues and wish to speak with someone in confidence, reach out to the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or through their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.