In a final, pre-recorded ‘Get Ready with Me’ TikTok video, 24-year-old Bella Bradford posted a farewell message to her followers after her passing. As a content creator known for her style, honesty, and warm energy, Bradford has been sharing her journey with a rare and aggressive form of cancer since her diagnosis two years ago. Her last video, posted on 31 October 2024 but recorded before her passing on 15 October, captures her in a moment of gratitude for her online community and the life she built around it.
The video opens with Bradford’s frankness: “I have terminal cancer, and unfortunately, by now, my life has come to an end, and I’ve passed away.” Yet she created a final “Get Ready with Me,” dressing in a khaki halter dress, white cardigan, and a delicate mix of gold and pearl jewellery—a classic Bella outfit. “Thank you for following me on this fun journey,” she adds. “I hope you’ll look back on all my videos and find a little bit of joy in your day if you ever need it.” She even throws in her signature styling tips, completing her look with black ballet flats, sunglasses, and a brown hat.
Over the past two years, Bradford had been open about her diagnosis, from the initial shock to navigating life with a terminal disease. After five months of remission, she had to face a re-diagnosis. The content creator shared her highs and lows, making her TikTok account a place of honesty and community rather than just fashion and beauty tips.
In a post earlier this year, Bradford talked about her experience with palliative care—a type of medical care that focuses on improving the quality of life for patients with serious illnesses. She’d undergone surgeries, chemotherapy, and other treatments, and openly discussed the difficulties, losses, and small wins along the way. Her honesty created a unique bond with her followers, with whom she shared not just her style but her reality.
The creator never sugarcoated her journey, but she did speak about the purpose she found in sharing it: “Filming these videos brought me a sense of purpose in my final months and connected me with a very kind community of people. I wish you all a beautiful life.”
According to Cancer World Data, in 2021, nearly 10 million people worldwide died from cancer, accounting for 1 in every 6 deaths. Of these, over 610,000 occurred in the United States and around 80,000 in Canada. The remaining deaths took place across other countries, with approximately 70 per cent of cancer fatalities happening in low- or middle-income nations.