A 26-year-old woman with terminal cancer who has become a viral star while bravely documenting her battle with the illness on TikTok has managed to tick off a major bucket list goal by meeting celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
Madison Baloy, from Tampa, Florida, was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer after going to the ER for what she thought was a common stomach bug.
After learning she had terminal cancer, the 26-year-old decided to turn the tragic situation into a positive by sharing her powerful journey on social media and keeping a smile on her face through chemotherapy.
Madison’s prognosis is five years, according to USA Today.
Madison Baloy, from Tampa, Florida, was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer after going to the ER for what she thought was a common stomach bug
She has crossed something off her bucket list after chef Gordon Ramsay helped her dreams come true by flying her out to his restaurant and cooking for her
After learning she had terminal cancer, the 26-year-old decided to turn the tragic situation into a positive by sharing her powerful journey online and keeping a smile on her face
By sharing her battle, Madison was met with a flood of support from people who offered to help her check off boxes from her bucket list – including the Hell’s Kitchen star Gordon.
Following her diagnosis, Madison took to TikTok to share the nearly 20 things she was in a ‘hurry to finish.’
She said: ‘Hi, my name is Madison. I have stage-four terminal cancer and this is in my bucket list. I’m in a hurry to finish it.’
Coming in at number one, Madison said she wanted to ‘see everything.’
She also revealed that she wanted to party in a DJ booth, learn how to roll a joint, have a wedding, get a tattoo with her grandma, sleep under a willow tree, be a podcast guest, and meet Gordon.
In response to her clip, the 57-year-old chef said he would love to meet Madison, but didn’t want it to be any regular meet and greet.
He said: ‘First of all, I’d like to fly you down to Miami, have dinner with you and your friends in Hell’s Kitchen and then the following night, Friday night, you’ll be our special guest at the opening of our new restaurant, Lucky Cat, in South Beach.’
Following their meet and greet, the chef added: ‘I hope you had the best time @madison in Miami! It was such an honor for you to be my VVIP last night at #LuckyCat! Thanks to everyone on TikTok too for helping making sure these dreams come true.’
By sharing her battle, Madison was met with a flood of support from people who offered to help her check off boxes from her bucket list – including the Hell’s Kitchen star Gordon
Alongside a slew of snaps from her time with Gordon, she said: ‘The best night of my life! Thank you endlessly for giving me the biggest yes, Chef ‘
Madison began feeling symptoms last year while at a music festival with her friends
Madison also shared her own Instagram post and gushed about the evening with the chef.
Alongside a slew of snaps, she said: ‘The best night of my life! Thank you endlessly for giving me the biggest yes, Chef. ‘
The TV personality and cook added: ‘What an absolute pleasure, I’m so glad you had a great time, also it’s the first time I’ve ever danced in my kitchen, thanks.’
Madison began feeling symptoms last year while at a music festival with her friends.
She tried to convince herself it wasn’t anything serious and chalked it up to IBS or Crohn’s.
Her stomach pain, nausea and exhaustion quickly became too much, and she went to urgent care.
However, while there, a nurse informed her that all of her symptoms indicated she had cancer and suggested she go to an ER.
It was there that they diagnosed her with stage-four colon cancer.
Her stomach pain, nausea and exhaustion quickly became too much, and she went to urgent care
However, while there, a nurse informed her that all of her symptoms indicated she had cancer and suggested she go to an ER. It was there they diagnosed her with stage-four colon cancer
She told USA Today that after receiving her diagnosis, she took to TikTok to find other people in her position and in hopes of reminding people who she was.
‘I was really scared that people were only going to see me for cancer and forget who I was,’ she said.
She noted that she wanted to tell the world she was still very much a ‘person’ and began documenting a day in her life online.
Madison said that she had come to terms with the possibility of having cancer forever and was trying to make the best of the time she had.
She said: ‘Whether I only live five years or if somehow I live 70 years, I will, at some point die with cancer in my body still.’