Dr. Kimberley Nix, who courageously shared moments of her journey with cancer, passed away on Wednesday, May 8, after leaving one last message for her fans.
The 31-year-old from Calgary, Alberta, thanked her followers for giving her a sense of purpose until she breathed her very last.
"Hello followers, if you're seeing this message I have passed away peacefully. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Kim, hi! It's so nice to meet you and you're welcome to check out all the cool sarcoma facts, information and my lived experience with death and dying with sarcoma cancer. You don't have to go just because you're new," Kimberley said as she bid adieu to her followers.
Dr. Kimberley Nix passed away on Wednesday, May 8, three years after being diagnosed with metastatic sarcoma
Image credits: cancerpatientmd
"I love you all, thank you so much for this amazing opportunity. I'm in happy tears because you've all made me find so much purpose in the end of my life," she continued.
The resident doctor, trained in internal medicine, was only 28 years old when she was diagnosed with metastatic sarcoma in 2021. Being in the final year of her internal medicine core residency at the time, Kimberley decided not to let the cancer diagnosis stop her from completing her studies.
As she set out on a three-year battle against cancer, Kimberley shared bits and pieces of her journey online and racked up nearly 150K followers on TikTok.
The resident doctor shared a final farewell video for her followers, saying, "I have passed away"
Image credits: cancerpatientmd
"I am a resident doctor who trained in internal medical and had a beautiful life and I’m so proud of it. Those who know me know I love my pets, my husband and make up in the reverse [order], my husband first and of course all of my family and friends."
"In 2021, I got the opportunity to start making TikTok videos and I never thought that these would become anything. My goal was to spread awareness about sarcoma cancer, and we have been a successful team. We have reached great heights in sarcoma awareness," she explained in her farewell video.
Kimberley expressed her gratitude to her followers for giving her a sense of purpose until she breathed her last
Image credits: cancerpatientmd
Fans were inspired by how she remained a ray of positivity throughout. She shared moments of her life as a pet parent, posted experiences from her trips to the mountains, and even captured herself enjoying concerts of her favorite artists, like Coldplay and Taylor Swift.
"I only have one thing in my life that is tough or hard right now. Yes, it is serious, but [it's] just one thing," she told People in April. "Life is so much more. It’s friends, family, pets, your career, the perfect temperature first sip of tea, the beautiful snow-tipped mountains."
Fans grieved after her final video went up on her TikTok page and announced that Kimberley's cancer journey had come to an end
"So many people go through so much more with so much less to be thankful for. Seeing the beautiful parts of life each day helps me stay grounded and focused on what’s most important to me, and keep pressing forward with more treatment," she continued.
During the interview, Kimberley opened up about how she was first diagnosed with extraskeletal osteosarcoma and only later discovered that she had undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma.
Thousands of social media users followed Kimberley on her journey with cancer and were inspired by her warmth and positivity
Image credits: cancerpatientmd
"Having an evolving diagnosis is common in sarcoma because there are over 100 subtypes," she told the outlet.
"Symptoms of sarcoma are so important because there is no screening test. My symptom was the most common symptom in soft tissue sarcoma. [Everything was] completely normal — including all my lab values — except for a small, but rapidly growing lump in my left leg," she explained.
The young doctor would invite her fans to join her as she attended concerts, took trips, and made her way through her bucket list
Image credits: cancerpatientmd
Fans were devastated after her last video went up on her TikTok page.
“Rest easy Dr Kim. You truly were a light here,” one said, while another wrote, “Feels like I just got the wind knocked out of me. Rest in peace, Kim. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.”
“Rest in peace Kim, you have been a light on this world and for fighting on sarcoma awareness, thank you for being you, you are and were and amazing person,” another added.
The Alberta-native would share information about sarcoma and its symptoms online "because there is no screening test," she said
Image credits: cancerpatientmd
In her final farewell video, Kimberley grew emotional as she spoke about her husband but said she felt “at peace” reflecting on the life she lived.
"My only sadness dying is knowing that we didn’t get to grow old together. Everything else is totally bearable because that is the only thing that really matters," she said in the video.
"If following along [h]as been helpful in any way I have achieved my goal. If sarcoma awareness is achieved, I've achieved my goal," she added.
Before she passed away, Kimberley said her only sadness was not being able to grow old with her husband, Michael MacIsaac
Image credits: cancerpatientmd
Following the beloved doctor’s death, her husband Michael MacIsaac also released a message on TikTok to announce the death of his wife, whom he described as “the world's purest soul.”
"Yesterday was the worst day of my life, and somehow, thanks to some deeply cherished friends and the connectedness I felt throughout the day, we made it. Today isn’t much better, but I think we’ll make it again too," he said in a heartbreaking message. "Our incredible palliative care nurse made the point to me that while there’s no easy fix to the gaping wound I’ve just suffered, there is padding in knowing what Kim’s legacy will be, and there is padding known we’re loving and grieving together."
Michael shared a heartbreaking message on social media and said May 8th was the worst day of his life
Image credits: lightestcheese
“In my vows to Kim, I made a point of promising to try and learn as much as I could from her. How she faced hardship and tragedy with grace and kindness, how she loved the unloved, how she healed the ailing, and how she somehow made everything around her more beautiful,” she added.
Michael wrote that a “hundred lifetimes wouldn’t be enough” to learn everything that he hoped to learn from his wife.
Kimberley was described as beautiful, selfless, and "the world's purest soul" by her doting husband
"Now I need to continue that work on my own. My beautiful and selfless wife, my unconditional support and guiding light, and the world’s purest soul, passed on today.
"I’m eternally grateful to have been your husband, and am so much better off for having known you. I’m shattered into a billion pieces. I love you Kim."
Many online were saddened by the news of Kimberley's passing and said the world "lost a beautiful soul"
