Woman announces her own death on social media; message goes viral

A young woman named Daniella Thackray passed away in her 20s from a rare and aggressive form of cancer called cholangiocarcinoma. She has become a source of inspiration online as she bravely battled her disease.

Her touching message that she wrote before her death was shared by her family on Facebook and LinkedIn last month. The message has since gone viral and attracted a lot of comments.

"If you’re reading this then it means I have died from my battle with cancer," Daniella Thackray’s message reads. 

"Firstly, I just want to say that not all cancers are caused by lifestyle choices. In some cases it’s genetics or unfortunately it just happens. In my case, despite me being very healthy and active, a cancer started in my bile ducts, which was not caused by anything in my control and my life was never the same again."

"It's a rare and aggressive cancer that has no cure," she said, shedding light on the harsh reality of her condition.

"I really really do hope that in the years to come more research is done about this horrid, cruel disease so that more lives can be saved," Thackray wrote.

"So with that being said, although we can’t control what happens to us, we can control how we react. I chose not to mourn the life I was losing despite being so devastated, but to instead enjoy every moment I had left."

As I have always said and believed, you should enjoy the little things in life and cherish every moment!" she also wrote. "Romanticise your life! Do whatever makes you happy and don’t let anyone take the joy of life away from you…"

She noted, "I LOVED my life. Everything I had achieved was what I wanted. I loved my job, my fiancé, my family, my friends and my dog, and the house we were going to buy and the future we were making for ourselves. Leo my fur baby was definitely brought into my life to help brighten my darkest days."

Cholangiocarcinoma usually affects people over 50. But as major medical centers like the Mayo Clinic explain, it can strike anyone at any age. Often, the disease is discovered at an advanced stage, making treatment difficult.

"So thank you everyone for making my life so magical," Thackray's message said.

"Remember what I said about enjoying the little things."

Before her passing, Thackray worked in the Human Resources department in Leeds, England, as indicated by her LinkedIn profile. She obtained a bachelor's degree from Newcastle University in Tyne, England.

Her loved ones, including friends, family, and colleagues, have poured out their hearts, paying tribute to her memory, grieving her loss and celebrating her life.