Liberty York was 19 when she died from angiosarcoma, a rare form of soft tissue sarcoma that starts in areas such as muscle and fat. She passed away in the early hours of 1 June 2025, just two days after celebrating her birthday. Her death came a year after she first experienced symptoms of the disease, prompting her mother Hannah York to channel her grief into raising awareness and advocating for earlier diagnosis of the condition in young people.
A year after losing her daughter, Hannah has reflected on Liberty's character and strength throughout her final year.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think about Liberty is how kind she was and thoughtful,Hannah said. To her mother, Liberty remained the same determined teenager she had always been, even as she battled the aggressive cancer.
How did the illness begin?
The first signs of Liberty's condition emerged in May 2024 when the teenager from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, began experiencing unusual tiredness and nausea. A year earlier, Liberty had been diagnosed with Addison's disease, a rare autoimmune condition, so the family initially wondered whether the two conditions might be connected. She was referred to a specialist, but while awaiting answers, she developed swelling and pain in her left breast.
When the family consulted their GP about the swelling, the doctor suspected mastitis because the area was red and painful. Antibiotics were prescribed, but they proved ineffective. Medical professionals then considered the possibility of an abscess.
We went to see the GP about the swelling and she thought it was mastitis because it was red as well and painful,Hannah recalled.
The [cancer's] main symptom is the swelling or change in skin. Liberty's swelling kept getting bigger and bigger.
Why was diagnosis delayed?
As the swelling continued to grow, attention shifted towards hormonal causes. Hannah explained that medical staff on the teenage cancer ward indicated this was a common occurrence.
Liberty was on a teenage cancer ward and they said it was very common. So many teenagers, it's put down to hormones and unfortunately they said they see it every day.This delay proved critical: the swelling that had started as a small area of concern just weeks earlier had developed into a tumour weighing 10lb (4.5kg) by the time surgery was performed.
According to Liberty's memorial fund information, a second biopsy led to the angiosarcoma diagnosis on 21 August 2024, and scans revealed the cancer had already spread to lymph nodes in her left armpit. For Hannah, the moment of diagnosis brought both relief at finally having answers and the devastating realisation of what her daughter faced.
Liberty's type of sarcoma was a particularly aggressive sarcoma and, after she was operated on, it had spread to her lungs in just six weeks,Hannah said.
The difference between days and weeks to diagnosis is so important with sarcoma. She didn't get a fighting chance.
What is Liberty's legacy?
In the months following her death, Hannah has worked to transform her grief into meaningful action. She is supporting the Child Cancer Smart campaign, led by CCLG: The Children & Young People's Cancer Association, as it launches new guidelines for healthcare professionals designed to improve recognition of soft tissue sarcomas in children and young people. These cancers represent approximately 7% of childhood cancers, according to the charity, yet experts note that diagnosis is frequently delayed because symptoms resemble more common conditions.
Beyond her advocacy work, Hannah has established Libby's Legacy, a memorial fund supporting research into soft tissue sarcoma. The fund directs 90% of money raised towards research and 10% to support CCLG's broader work for children's cancers. Before her death, Liberty herself demonstrated remarkable generosity: she raised £8,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust by shaving her head and donated her hair to The Little Princess Trust.
What does Hannah hope will change?
Liberty was an incredibly strong person with a very strong sense of right and wrong. She was very opinionated, which I loved about her,Hannah said.
I don't know if any earlier diagnosis could have saved her, but she'd have had more of a chance. Her cancer was rare, underfunded and under-researched, so the best chance of helping other people is by making sure they are diagnosed early.
Hannah emphasises that soft tissue sarcoma remains greatly underfunded and that treatment has seen little progress for many years. This reality underpins her determination to support research and awareness initiatives in Liberty's memory. By advocating for improved recognition and earlier diagnosis, she hopes to give other young people facing this disease the fighting chance her daughter did not receive.
Key Facts
- Liberty York died on 1 June 2025 at age 19, two days after her birthday, from angiosarcoma, a rare soft tissue sarcoma
- Symptoms began in May 2024 with tiredness and nausea; swelling in her left breast was initially misdiagnosed as mastitis and later suspected to be hormonal
- The tumour grew to 10lb (4.5kg) before surgery, and cancer had spread to her lungs within six weeks of the operation
- Hannah York is supporting the Child Cancer Smart campaign to improve healthcare professional recognition of soft tissue sarcomas in young people
- Libby's Legacy memorial fund directs 90% of funds to soft tissue sarcoma research and 10% to CCLG's work supporting children with cancer
