A model who grew a popular following online after proudly showing off scars left by surgery has died of ovarian cancer at the age of 30. Canadian Elly Mayday documented her cancer journey on Instagram, and had amassed over 100,000 followers before she passed away last Friday.
In a post written by her family, Elly (whose real name was Ashley) was described as having "a passion for life that was undeniable".
"Ashely passed away on Friday, March 1st at 5:14pm. You all inspired Ashley and we hope she did the same for you," wrote the tribute.
"She dreamed of making an impact on people’s lives. She achieved this through the creation of Elly Mayday which allowed her to connect with all of you. Her constant support and love from her followers held a special place in her heart," it continued.
After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer aged just 25, Elly began raising awareness of the disease in young women. Elly had suffered severe lower back pain as one of her symptoms, but doctors initially dismissed it, telling her to lose weight and take painkillers.
"The doctor told me to work my core," Elly said in an interview with PEOPLE back in 2015.
Following a CT scan, however, the young woman was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and a hysterectomy, which left her with visible scars on her stomach. But rather than shying away because of the change to her body's aesthetic, Elly continued the modelling she'd started shortly before diagnosis, eager to prove that cancer sufferers are still beautiful.
"I figured that maybe I could help someone going through something similar, while continuing on with my own dreams," Elly explained in another interview.
Although the chemotherapy appeared to have worked at first, devastatingly in 2017 Elly's cancer came back. But she continued to post intimate details about her treatment, and how it affected her self-esteem as well as other aspects of her life.
Elly's posts saw her become something of a figurehead for body positivity, and in October 2018 she took part in an Elle magazine photo series called 'Behind the Scars'. Pictured in her underwear, proudly bearing the scars left as a result of her hysterectomy, Elly said:
"My scar has really become a big part of me, and my cancer. Instead of letting it destroy my life and dream, I embraced it and used it to help others. My choice to model through cancer was freeing. My scars are my trademark, my beauty mark and the reason I am alive today. I’m so thankful for the awareness this mark has allowed me to make."
Tragically, Elly's life came to an end last week, but she continued to post updates in the weeks before. In a picture uploaded in early January, while in the midst of intense pain, Elly showed she was still thinking about other people.
"I wish I could buy all the patients the softest, cuddliest blanket ever. It’s the one thing I need to be happy in here," she wrote.
A major part of Elly's drive to share her experience with cancer was to encourage other women to educate themselves about their bodies, and to be persistent if unusual symptoms crop up.
"We’re undermined being younger, being women," Elly said in an interview, of the dismissal she suffered from doctors early on. "I started to realise no one is going to help me unless I help myself."
Our thoughts are with Elly's family and friends at this sad time.
Ovarian cancer symptoms can include:
- Persistent bloating (not bloating that comes and goes)
- Loss of appetite/feeling full quickly
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Needing to wee more urgently or more often than usual
- Changes to bowel habit (eg diarrhoea or constipation)
- Extreme fatigue
- Unexplained weight loss
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