At Only 26: Israeli Model Dies from Incredibly Rare Cancer

Yesterday (Sunday), Ashdod-born model Adi Tal was laid to rest, at just 26 years old. Tal passed away over the weekend after a heroic fight against a rare and aggressive cancer, adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), leaving behind her parents, two siblings, Shani (29) and Oryan (18), and her partner. "She lived in London and worked in sales; one day, she fell during work," says Shani, her sister, describing the event that led to the discovery of the disease over a year ago.

Following the fall, persistent pain in the kidney area prompted Tal to undergo a CT scan, which revealed an aggressive cancerous tumor in her adrenal gland. "The tumor, adrenocortical carcinoma, is extremely rare, one to two cases per million people annually," Shani explains, noting that from the moment of diagnosis, Adi embarked on a long and grueling journey of treatments that began in London and continued in Israel over the past three months. "She underwent surgery, harsh chemotherapy, biological treatments, we tried everything possible. Until her final day, she believed she would overcome it."

Despite the rapid deterioration of her condition, Adi remained optimistic and fought for her life. "She was a fighter until her last day, enduring horrific pain with extraordinary courage. On her final day, she asked to reduce the morphine dosage so she could be with family and friends, she was simply a hero," Shani shares.

Alongside her battle, Shani says, Adi tried to live as fully as possible. She met her partner, Ron Elimelech, in London, where he offered her a job, and they became a couple over the past year and a half. "She was optimistic, tried to balance life amidst it all, surrounded by family and good friends," Shani adds. "She had big dreams, she wanted to conquer the world, travel, get married, and have children."

In the past, Adi modeled in Israel, but after moving to London, she built a career in sales. "She had a zest for life, an incredible will to live; she was the strongest person I’ve ever known," Shani says with pain. "Adi comforted her family and friends, and those who came to support her left strengthened by meeting her. She had an enormous heart and endless generosity. In her final moments, she understood she was parting from us and accepted it with peace, while still choosing to believe and pray that she would prevail."