Influencer dies aged 14 after sharing cancer diagnosis online
A social media star who gained a following after sharing her cancer journey online has died at the age of 14.
Zuza Beine was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia at just three years old, and in recent years she shared the daily realities of living with cancer with her two million followers.
The teen star touched the hearts of millions all over the world as she shared awareness of childhood cancer, having survived the disease five times, according to her Instagram bio.
Zuza's family took to her page on 23 September to share the devastating news that she had passed away in a heartbreaking statement.
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"It is with broken hearts that we share that Zuza died yesterday morning. She lived 11 of her 14 years with a relentless cancer, yet lived more fully and gratefully than most. Her being changed us forever, and her dying will too," her family wrote.
"It is no coincidence to us that the last video she made captures what she was grateful for—a testament to a life filled with both beauty and suffering. More than anything, she wanted to be a normal, healthy kid.
"But what made her life so beautiful was how she learned to face the hardest circumstances, like her disease, and still live fully."
Just days before her death, Zuza described being in 'so much pain' she could 'barely walk,' yet she still managed to list the many things she was grateful for.
"Being diagnosed with cancer has made me deeply grateful for the everyday things that many people often take for granted," she wrote.
She listed 'being able to taste the most delicious foods,' her relationships, her pets and the ability to style her hair among the things she was grateful for.
In some posts, Zuza documented daily life with cancer, describing the agony of living with active leukaemia and taking her followers on a 'day in the life' of a cancer patient in hospital. However, in others, she posted as a happy 14-year-old girl obsessed with Taylor Swift and excited over new makeup products.
Tragically, just a week before Zuza's death, her uncle passed away, and her family requested that anyone wanting to make donations should donate to her uncle's wife and children.
Since news of her death broke, Zuza's fans have been sharing their devastation in the comments section, with one writing that they had been 'praying everyday' for the teen.
"I now pray that the angels take you up and hold you close. I pray that you are no longer in pain," they wrote.
Another commented: "I am shattered. My heart is so broken seeing this. I cannot begin to tell you how unbelievably sorry I am. I don't know if I have ever been so upset over someone I didn't know personally but your daughter was truly amazing.
"She was a shining light in my day and I made sure I liked everyday for her videos. I am praying for you and beautiful Zuza and sending so much love in your grief. Fly high sweet angel."
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: Cancer, US News, Viral, Social Media, Instagram
Emma Rosemurgey