City of London Police officer Shanice Bennett dies aged 26

City of London Police officer Shanice Bennett has died at the age of 26. She passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, surrounded by her family, according to an announcement from her relatives. Officer Bennett had been documenting her journey with incurable breast cancer on the social media platform TikTok, where she amassed a following of more than 39,000 people.

Officer Bennett was diagnosed with stage-three invasive ductal carcinoma at the age of 23. The disease later progressed to stage four, spreading to her bones, liver, lungs, and lymph nodes. Despite her diagnosis, she continued to share updates about her treatment and urged young women to be vigilant about breast health, encouraging them to "touch, look and check" their breasts. Her TikTok videos received over two million likes.

Fundraiser for Cancer Drug

In February, Officer Bennett shared that tumours in her liver had worsened and her existing treatment was no longer effective. Doctors proposed treatment with the cancer drug Enhertu. However, she stated at the time that she was not eligible to receive it through the NHS in England due to her specific breast cancer hormone type. Her family launched a fundraiser to cover the cost of the treatment, which attracted over 2,700 donations and raised £41,076 towards its £45,000 target.

Her family expressed that the funds enabled Officer Bennett to undergo the treatment, providing them with additional precious time together. They noted that without the public's support, she would not have had the opportunity for this latest treatment, which allowed them to create many cherished memories. Officer Bennett found comfort in knowing that the drug Enhertu has since become available to eligible patients in England.

Tributes have poured in from her TikTok followers, with many expressing their heartbreak and admiration for her strength. One follower wrote, "You fought hard Shanice. Rest well now."