I became a cancer influencer. It helped me through the hard times — until my hair grew back.

Sarah Barness was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023.

Clark Hodgin for BI

"Hi. My name is Sarah. And I'm Sophie! We're sisters, and we both have breast cancer. Welcome to our influencer journey! Like, comment, and subscribe."It was 2023. I was 35, terrified, and trying to make sense of my diagnosis alongside my sister's. We'd both been told we had breast cancer three months before posting our first-ever TikTok, and the video was meant to be a bit tongue-in-cheek. We never really considered becoming "cancer influencers," being the camera-shy millennials we were.I also quickly discovered the cancer influencer space was already quite saturated with camera-ready patients, strategically documenting their journeys. With a growing number of younger cancer patients, this wasn't particularly surprising, as many turn to social media to process and feel connected to a broader community, no matter the issue.

Sarah Barness found community by sharing updates of her cancer diagnosis.

Clark Hodgin for BI