Zuza Beine: Teenage Instagram star who shared raw cancer battle, dies after years of treatment
A young Instagram influencer who documented her cancer journey with heartbreaking honesty has died, her family confirmed on Monday morning.
Zuza Beine, 14, was first diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) at the age of three.
Over the years, she built a following of more than 1.8 million on Instagram, where she shared candid updates about her treatment, her pain, and her determination to live fully despite her illness.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Her family announced the devastating news in a statement posted to her account.
“It is with broken hearts that we share that Zuza died yesterday morning,” the statement read.
“She lived 11 of her 14 years with a relentless cancer, yet lived more fully and gratefully than most. Her being changed us forever, and her dying will too.”
Zuza became known for her “get ready with me” videos, where she combined typical teenage rituals with raw accounts of life with cancer. Her followers admired her courage and honesty, often leaving thousands of supportive comments beneath her posts.
Many wrote that her resilience inspired them to face their own struggles with more strength.
In her final days, she spoke openly about the pain she was enduring.
On Thursday, she told followers: “I’m constantly on pain medicine because my body hurts so, so, so bad.”
The next day she added: “I can barely walk right now, I’m in so much pain.”
On Sunday, just one day before her death, she posted what would become her final video, reflecting on gratitude for “the tiny things.” The clip has since been shared widely, with fans calling it a heartbreaking reminder of her spirit.
Her family remembered her not only for her bravery, but also for the way she balanced suffering with a deep appreciation for life.
“It is no coincidence to us that the last video she made captures what she was grateful for — a testament to a life filled with both beauty and suffering,” their statement said. “More than anything, she wanted to be a normal, healthy kid. But what made her life so beautiful was how she learned to face the hardest circumstances, like her disease, and still live fully.”
