Hi all,

My name is Austin Towle. My sister, Sydney Towle, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2026, after a three-year-long battle with Stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma.

Those who knew Sydney or followed her journey on social media knew she truly loved life and did not let her diagnosis define her. She was, and will always be, an endless ray of sunshine, positivity, and kindness. She loved the outdoors and being active, and this continued throughout her battle with cholangiocarcinoma. There were times when she should have been having chemotherapy, and she would be outside running or surfing the very next day.

Whether it was her cross-country races in high school, running across the campus of her alma mater, Dartmouth, or simply getting steps in with her friends in LA or New York City, running was an integral part of Sydney's life.

Sydney had planned to run the 2026 New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1, 2026, on behalf of the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation and Team CCF. I remember her posting about it on TikTok and telling my mom and me she had signed up for it. I know that if she had been able to, she absolutely would have done it. If anybody could have done it, it would have been Sydney.

I will be running the New York City Marathon with Team CCF in Sydney's place. I couldn't think of many better ways to honor my sister, and I remember her asking me countless times this past year to sign up and do it with her. I would give anything to run it with her now.

I started this GoFundMe to raise the $5,000 needed to participate. Any additional funds over that amount will go toward my sister's memorial scholarship fund, as well as the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation. Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity, and I promise to make Sydney proud.