Chronically ill woman says TikTok is keeping her alive

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV/KSMO ) — While communities are pitted against each other a woman facing a troubling diagnosis found genuine connections through a social media app known for dancing influencers.

“There’s a lot of stereotypes and negative connotations with social media in general,” said Tricia Melland. “Sure, there’s negativity and such, but there’s a lot of positivity that outweighs that.”

Melland was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease more than a decade ago. The 22-year-old is constantly taking her temperature and blood pressure while balancing a rigorous course of treatment to keep her alive.

She swore off posting the social media app TikTok, only creating an account to pass the time stuck at home. Then, Melland was captivated by another user, Tia, diagnosed with cancer who needed a little encouragement. Melland posted a video of herself dancing to brighten her day.

“I was blown away,” Melland said. “I posted that video expecting nobody to see it, hoping [Tia] would see it, knowing that hundreds of thousands of people were making these videos.”

At last count Melland’s first TikTok video tribute to Tia has 81 thousand likes and more than half a million views.

When Melland realized the potential reach of her audience and their instant curiosity about her life she explored how she could entertain and educate people as far away as the other side of the globe.

“People saw, obviously, my lovely tree of like as I call it,” said Melland while pointing to a cart full of wires and fluid bags all attached to her in some way.

Melland said she isn’t offended by any of the comments of questions that she’s received.

“I love when people ask me questions,” Melland said. “It makes me feel like I have a purpose.”

Melland mixes it up. She posts her take on viral videos, balancing her content with educational explainers about her disease.

Dr. Clay Anderson treated Melland while she was at his hospital in 2019 and has been a close friend of the family ever since. He explained her diagnosis in detail.

“In a sense, she’s in kind of a holding pattern where life is hard,” Dr. Anderson said. “There’s a lot of suffering, chronic pain, chronic breathing struggles, nausea, vomiting and yet she has a real zest for life. She has a lot of passions in her life.”

Her passions have changed over time. Melland was an active child competing as an ice skater. Dr. Anderson said more strenuous activity brought her disease to the forefront.

He said when the body needs more energy for exercise, mental/emotional stress or other illnesses symptoms start to show and organs begin to suffer. Currently Melland is in lung and intestine failure.

“No parent wants to see their child suffer and see them go through the things she’s had to go through,” said Tricia’s mother Wendy Melland. “And, continues to go through.”

Wendy said it is hard seeing her daughter grapple her disease, but she’s also invigorated by her strength.

“How can we not be positive when you’re around someone like Tricia,” Wendy said. “We have to be strong for her, but she inspires us, and we want to do everything we can to help her achieve her goals and her dreams.”

Tricia Melland’s aspirations now include education.

“I was researching on the internet, looking for anybody in a similar situation and I couldn’t find anybody. I think my goal is to be that person,” Melland said. “To be somebody who can offer support for others who are struggling with chronic illnesses, others who are just having a hard time.”

When asked where she would be right now without making TikTok videos Tricia simply replied, “I honestly don’t think I would even be here.”

Melland said there were days before her videos where she was ready to give up her fight.

“I had the mentality of, ‘okay I’m ready,’ next time I get an infection, next time I get sick whatever happens, happens. It’s in God’s hands. I was okay with that,” said Melland. “Since making these videos, again, it’s just given me so much more energy to keep going and keep fighting and not listen to the odds and the statistics of how long my life might be.”

When Tricia went home with a tracheotomy doctors gave her an estimated week to live. She’s far surpassed their expectations, and her own.

“We didn’t know how long I would ever survive on it. Nobody could promise me anything,” Melland said. “It was terrifying.”

Melland said connections with people she’s met on TikTok are invaluable to her.

“Finding TikTok and finding this amazing community of people has really, it’s inspired me,” Tricia said.

Her mother sees a change in her attitude too.

“There’s just kind of an extra bounce to her step, not that she’s out running around or anything,” Wendy Melland said.

“She may be in bed sleeping all day. She may have had a rough night and may have been in a lot of pain or had a recent procedure, just gotten out of the hospital, but TikTok gives her something to look forward to.”

Sometimes Tricia even posts from her hospital bed if she has enough energy. Just last week Melland was taken to the hospital for an emergency procedure to receive a new central line and treat sepsis. She’s currently recovering and asking her followers to send prayers for her safe return home.

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