New guidelines are being launched for healthcare professionals to improve the recognition of soft tissue sarcomas in children and young people. This initiative is supported by Hannah York, whose daughter Liberty died from a rare form of this cancer.
Liberty York, from Stratford-upon-Avon, was 19 when she died from angiosarcoma, a rare soft tissue sarcoma, on 1 June 2025. Her mother described her as a determined teenager who was kind and thoughtful.
The first signs of Liberty's illness appeared in May 2024 with tiredness and nausea. She later developed swelling and pain in her left breast, which was initially thought to be mastitis or an abscess. Hannah York noted that the cancer's main symptom is swelling or a change in skin, and Liberty's swelling continued to grow.
Experts state that soft tissue sarcomas account for about 7% of childhood cancers. However, diagnosis can often be delayed because their symptoms can resemble more common conditions. Hannah York believes that earlier diagnosis could offer a better chance for those with this aggressive cancer.