Nineteen-year-old Felipe Escobedo from Atlanta credits TikTok with saving his life after he noticed a strange lump on his neck while filming himself for a viral yoghurt challenge. He was trying Coconut Cult yoghurt daily, inspired by other users claiming it reduced bloating. Watching his videos, he saw his neck appeared “curvy” and realized a lump was growing.
Though he felt no pain, Felipe noticed a hard bump under his jaw and sought medical advice. Initially told it might be a cold or flu symptom, he returned to the hospital two weeks later when the lump worsened. Doctors discovered multiple lumps and performed emergency surgery to remove one.
Felipe was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system that often shows as painless swelling in lymph nodes. Despite being aggressive, it is highly treatable. His cancer had spread to his stomach and lungs, placing him at stage three, but treatment offers hope.
Felipe is preparing for chemotherapy and thanked TikTok for helping him catch the warning sign early. He shared how he had been coughing since February but thought it was just a normal college illness. Now, he encourages others to get checked if they notice unusual symptoms like persistent coughs or lumps.
His experience shows how early detection can make a difference and how social media can unexpectedly support health awareness.
