Teen dies two days after 19th birthday after delayed angiosarcoma diagnosis

Liberty York, a 19-year-old from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, suffered from fatigue, nausea and breast swelling that doctors initially blamed on hormonal problems, mastitis and an abscess. After three months of appointments, a biopsy on August 21 revealed a 10-lb angiosarcoma in her chest that had already metastasized to lymph nodes. With no specialist bed available, she was sent home in severe pain before finally receiving surgery on September 10, which removed the tumour, breast tissue and lymph nodes.

Post-operative complications and rapid spread to her lung led to palliative chemotherapy, but the cancer returned in May 2025, and she chose end-of-life care at home, dying in the early hours of June 1. Hannah York is now supporting the Child Cancer Smart campaign, led by CCLG, to introduce guidelines aimed at faster diagnosis of soft-tissue sarcomas in children and young people.