An influencer has revealed that she has leukaemia after “drinking five bubble teas a day instead of water”. An Thy, who has 11.3m TikTok followers and 611,000 Instagram fans, announced her blood cancer diagnosis in an emotional video on May 18.
The 23-year-old, a Vietnamese beauty creator famous for her dramatic makeup transformation videos, said she decided to go public because treatment may prevent regular posts. The influencer added that she hopes her story will encourage young people to take their health more seriously.
An, who lives in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, openly admitted to several unhealthy habits built up over three years as a content creator.
She frequently stayed awake until 6 or 7am and drank almost no water. Instead, she said she consumed around five cups of bubble tea a day along with matcha lattes and other sugary drinks.
Medical experts at the Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital confirmed her diagnosis of leukaemia after she fell severely ill following months of chronic exhaustion. She explained: “I thought, as I don’t smoke or drink alcohol, that my body would be fine.
“I would stay up until dawn, sleep through the day, and practically never touch regular fresh water,” she admitted.
The influencer, who has undergone around 15 cosmetic procedures since her mid-teens including jaw reduction, cheekbone shaving, nose jobs, and fillers, also reflected on her past lifestyle choices. She urged followers not to dismiss small health signals, stressing that youth does not guarantee immunity from serious illness.
The video quickly went viral with over 24m views on TikTok, drawing hundreds of thousands of supportive comments, as reported by NeedToKnow.
No further medical details about the specific type or stage of her leukaemia have been released.
An’s story has sparked widespread discussion in Vietnam about the dangers of irregular sleep, poor hydration, and excessive sugar intake among young content creators.
She has temporarily stepped back from work to focus on her upcoming intensive chemotherapy sessions.
Although An blames her past routine for the illness, medical professionals say lifestyle choices like sleep deprivation and sugary drinks are not recognised causes of leukaemia.
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