Diem Brown, MTV Contestant, Dies at 32

Diem Brown, a star of an MTV reality
 series who, at 23, announced in her
first appearance on the show that she
had ovarian cancer, died on Friday in
 a New York hospital. She was 32.

Ms. Brown began competing on MTV’s “Real World/Road Rules Challenge” in 2006. On the show, now known as “The Challenge,” teams of contestants vie against one another on specific missions, like surviving on an island with limited supplies.

Ms. Brown surprised the show’s cast and producers when she disclosed her illness in the first episode on which she appeared. She continued to appear on the show until recently and blogged about her struggle with cancer on People magazine’s website.

As an advocate for cancer patients, she established Medgift, an online gift registry enabling those with medical troubles to seek financial help as well as physical and emotional support.

Ms. Brown was born on June 12, 1982, in Roswell, Ga.

In a Twitter message on Tuesday she wrote: “My doctors are seemingly giving up but I won’t & can’t rollover. Whatever option I have to LIVE I’m grabbing!”