Chinese beauty influencer Zhu Mingyue, known online as Mi Duo, has died at the age of 41 after a battle with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Zhu, who had 111,000 followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare soft tissue sarcoma, and was given between one and two years to live.
Her death was announced by her eldest daughter on Monday, who described her mother as a 'warrior' and a 'hero' who worked tirelessly to provide for her family and build her cosmetics brand. In her final months, Zhu suffered severe complications, including loss of eyesight and the ability to speak clearly, but remained optimistic to comfort her family.
Zhu's daughter said her mother's biggest regret was neglecting her body while chasing professional success, often working through exhaustion and skipping meals. In previous videos, Zhu warned her followers about three bad habits that could trigger serious illness: greasy foods, particularly takeaways; sleep deprivation; and chronic anxiety.
Zhu believed she weakened her immune system by staying up until 1am or 2am most nights. She also cited anxiety as a crucial contributing factor to her health breakdown, stemming from financial troubles in her husband's car dealership and the extreme competitiveness of digital entrepreneurship.
Zhu leaves behind her husband and three children. Her daughter reiterated her mother's message that people should 'prioritise their health over work.'
