A young woman is living with an incredibly rare syndrome, which almost guarantees she will develop cancer – and she’s already battled the disease once.
Georgie Hartland was given the shocking diagnosis at just 15, after finding a golf-ball-sized lump in her right breast – which she initially thought was part of puberty.
Instead, doctors found it was a rare type of cancerous tumour – and that there was an underlying issue massively increasing Georgie’s chances of developing similar diseases.
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The then-teen was diagnosed with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome – an inherited disorder with only 700 people diagnosed in the UK – which dramatically increases the risk of developing multiple cancers throughout life.
Having already battled cancer once, the now-20-year-old faces an uncertain future.
“I have no certainty of what my future holds, or how long I’ll live,” Georgie, from Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, told Need To Know.
“I have to be constantly on the lookout for new lumps and bumps, and any signs of cancer.
“It definitely feels unfair to be going through this – especially at 21.
“I see my friends being able to live normally while I’m here with serious health concerns that impact my life.
“I have to live with more anxiety than most people – it can affect my daily life just from the worry.
The terrifying news came shortly after her cancer diagnosis in late 2019, after she found the lump in her breast.
She said, “I thought it was just part of being a teenager.
“But it started getting bigger and uncomfortable, so I went to the doctor – that’s when everything changed.
“After surgery [to remove the lump], they told me it was cancer and that I needed a mastectomy.
“It was terrifying.”
Georgie underwent a mastectomy at just 15 – an experience that left her both physically and emotionally scarred.
But the biggest shock came after the surgery, when doctors carried out genetic testing to find out why someone so young had developed breast cancer.
Li-Fraumeni Syndrome is often caused by a mutation in the TP53 gene, and, for those born with it, the lifetime risk of developing cancer can be as high as 90%.
Georgia explained: “It means my DNA doesn’t repair damage properly, so my chances of getting cancer again are really high.
“When I first heard that, I didn’t really understand what it meant – I just wanted to get on with life.
“But now that I’m older, it scares me more.”
For Georgie, dealing with her diagnosis as a teenager was an isolating experience.
She said: “None of my friends knew what to say.
“I had people asking, ‘What’s that?’ or ‘Why do you have to go to the hospital all the time?’
“I was the only one in school who had gone through something like that.
“I used to think cancer was for older people – now I know it can happen to anyone, at any time.”
After her mastectomy, Georgie was still under constant medical supervision.
She said: “Between the ages of 15 and 19, I had monthly check-ups with dermatologists and paediatricians.
“I was too young to check myself properly, so doctors did it for me.
“It became part of my routine.”
Now 20, Georgie’s life is filled with scans, tests, and hospital appointments – including annual full-body MRIs, brain MRIs and breast scans in a bid to catch any worrying signs early.
She said: “As I’ve grown up, I find these bring more anxiety.
“The scans themselves are so claustrophobic and can make me panic a fair bit.
“But I know they’re crucial to catch anything.
“It’s a lot to keep on top of, but it’s the only way to stay safe.”
Despite the constant monitoring, Georgie remains at high risk.
Earlier this year, she made the brave decision to undergo a second preventative mastectomy to reduce her chances of developing breast cancer again, after doctors found pre-cancerous cells in her remaining breast.
She said: “It was terrifying, but it also proved I’d made the right choice.
“There’s a high chance I’ll get cancer again – the doctors have been honest about that – so we just have to keep a very close eye on everything.”
Determined to raise awareness about Li-Fraumeni Syndrome and to show others that cancer can affect anyone, Georgie now shares her journey with thousands of followers on TikTok.
She said, “I get so many messages from people saying I’ve helped them feel less alone.
“That’s why I keep posting – it makes everything I’ve been through feel worth it.”
Although Georgie has just graduated from university and is looking for a career, her diagnosis constantly lingers in the back of her mind.
She said: “I try to live normally, but sometimes I think, does it really matter?”
“I never know how long I’ve got or whether something will come back.”
Despite her fears, Georgie is determined to make the most of life.
She added: “I’ve got this mentality now of ‘I’ll do what I want, live how I want, and do my best’.
“I can’t plan too far ahead because my future is uncertain, but that just makes me appreciate every single day.”
