A woman who has faced two cancer diagnoses has spoken out about finding her "absolute rock" and husband, Sam, who has also survived cancer twice. Liv Shaw, 29, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, married Sam in Las Vegas last year after the pair met as teenagers through their involvement with the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Liv's personal battle began at 14 when she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Despite chemotherapy, the cancer spread, necessitating an above-the-knee amputation and the fitting of a prosthetic limb. A second diagnosis followed in 2020 while she was a student at Manchester Metropolitan University, when a lump near a broken rib was identified as a tumour. This led to surgery, though the slow-growing nature of the cancer meant further treatment was not required.
Following a family history of cancer on her maternal side, Liv underwent genetic testing and was diagnosed with Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS). LFS is a rare inherited condition that significantly increases an individual's likelihood of developing various cancers throughout their life. Fortunately, her IVF triplet siblings and mother tested negative for the syndrome. In a proactive measure to reduce her cancer risk, Liv made the decision in 2023 to undergo a double mastectomy.
Liv met Sam at a Teenage Cancer Trust's 'Find Your Sense of Tumour' conference when she was 16. She recalls being struck by his humour and his ability to lift her spirits. Their shared experiences and involvement in charity work, including speaking about body image after treatment and participating in a charity fashion show, brought them closer. They began dating a few years later and have been inseparable since, with Liv crediting Sam as a constant source of support through her health challenges.
Now an operations manager living in Reddish, Liv continues to undergo regular check-ups and will be closely monitored for the rest of her life due to LFS. She is actively supporting a campaign aimed at protecting those at high risk of LFS and inspiring further research into the condition. Cancer Research UK is currently investigating whether metformin, a common type 2 diabetes drug, could potentially block or slow cancer development in high-risk individuals with LFS, offering a potential lifeline to thousands.