About three weeks ago, Jade Kops was crooked an Instagram post who caused the hearts of her 443,000 followers to sink: “Every night I am afraid of not waking up the next morning. I am living in the biggest nightmare I can imagine. And it is all because of you.”
It was her third – and final – letter to the ‘sweet nasty tumor’ that was discovered in the back of her throat in the summer of 2021. The 19-year-old influencer died on Friday in the presence of her family. “Anyone who wants to pay their last respects to Jade is welcome in the guard of honor on Friday, May 1 around 12.15 pm in Naaldwijk,” the family said through a spokesperson.
That hedge will be long, because Kops made a deep impression on many in her short life. For her openness, altruism and perseverance. You can see it in the countless responses from well-known and lesser-known people who poured in through all kinds of channels. In less than 24 hours, more than 400,000 people responded to the obituary on her Instagram account. But there were also responses via the ANP, the RVD and the online condolence register.
Broken heart
Astrid Holleeder posted a photo of herself and Kops on Instagramwith a broken heart. Rapper Ronnie Flex called her “an inspiration to many.” Singer Emma Heesters, a friend, characterized Kops as “a special soul“I hope that wherever you are now, you are having a party and continuing all the fun plans you always made,” she wrote.
After her diagnosis, Kops felt as if the world was falling from under her feet, she once said in an interview. She underwent medical treatment for three years at, among others, the Princess Máxima Center, which specializes in children with cancer. Until she was told in August 2024 (after 860 chemo doses and 82 radiation treatments) that there was no more hope. Instead of seeking refuge, Kops decided to do everything he could to help people in a similar situation.
On her Instagram account @mijnlevenmetkanker she had already been writing for two years about the ups and downs of someone confronted with a life-threatening illness. There she posted moving photos and videos bee. For example, she talked about the operation to remove her tumor (“The wound is big. It runs from my neck to my ear”), about what the “chemo feeling” entails, about the “power party” that a foundation organized for her, about “I don’t want this anymore thoughts” and about what it feels like to have your hair shaved off: “intense and traumatic”, she needed several EMDR sessions to process it.
Her fame grew partly due to her Instagram posts. When it became clear that her final phase of life had arrived, she used her fame even more. That’s how Kops started a fundraising campaign for the Utrecht Princess Máxima Center, where she presented a check for 2,036,494 euros at the end of last year. She aimed the Jade Foundation on, which offers families of children with cancer a ‘breath of fresh air’ in one of the two designated holiday homes, so that they can ‘make precious memories’. She also wrote the book published last year Forever youngabout her life with cancer.
Fellow sufferers
Kops was awarded several times for what she did. In February 2025, she was named ‘Best Instagrammer’ at The Best Social Awards. In October 2024 she was appointed Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau. Queen Máxima, who then visited Kops at home in ‘s-Gravenzande in November 2024, emphasized on Friday how much Kops meant to fellow sufferers. Máxima is “grateful for what she has done for the Princess Máxima Center,” she said via the RVD.
Under the heading ‘prepared for later’ Kops described on November 24 last year on Instagram how a “friendly lady” from the funeral director comes to visit. “It is an intense conversation, but we discuss a lot, which also provides peace. It is a nice idea that after a number of conversations we will soon be ‘prepared’ for what is to come. There is already a period after my story, but hopefully I will live with commas for a long time.”
The costs for a funeral turned out to be considerable Kops created a donation page for “a beautiful, warm, pleasant and loving farewell”. She normally only asked for things for others, she explained, “never for myself.” But now she had to admit “with pain in my heart” that she needed help.
After just three and a half hours, 40,000 euros had been donated.
