Shaina Hurley, star of “Love Is Blind,” faced a life-altering challenge when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer while three months pregnant with her “miracle” baby. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Hurley details her emotional journey through this difficult period and how her faith and determination helped her navigate the challenges.
As of June 2024, Hurley is now cancer-free. Reflecting on her journey, she told PEOPLE, “I am on the other side now,” and is ready to share her story publicly.
Hurley welcomed her first child, a son named Yiorgos David, with her husband Christos Lardakis, on February 1. The path to his birth, however, was fraught with fear and uncertainty following an eight-week pap smear that revealed abnormal results. Despite having no symptoms, Hurley was advised to undergo a colposcopy, which eventually confirmed Stage 2 cervical cancer.
“I felt the fear creeping in, but I knew I couldn’t let it take over my mind,” Hurley recalls. “I had to go into survival mode and trust God.”
Doctors recommended a cold-knife conization, a procedure to remove a cone-shaped piece of tissue from the cervix to assess and treat the cancer. However, the procedure posed a significant risk to her pregnancy, as it could potentially lead to a miscarriage.
With the pregnancy at 22 weeks, an alternative laparoscopic surgery was performed to check if the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. The cancer had not spread, but chemotherapy was still suggested. Hurley, who had no symptoms, opted against chemotherapy, advocating for herself and her baby.
Despite medical advice to deliver at 32 weeks to assess cancer progression, Hurley chose to continue her pregnancy to 37-and-a-half weeks. Her determination paid off with the birth of a healthy baby boy.
The delivery went smoothly, but the emotional toll on her family was significant. “My husband and I faced strong battles,” Hurley said. “He wanted our baby but also worried about losing me.”
Two weeks after giving birth, Hurley suffered a mini-stroke (TIA) but recovered without major issues. Four weeks later, she underwent the cold-knife conization, but the surgery was unsuccessful. Another attempt six weeks later also failed to eradicate the cancer.
However, by June, Hurley received the news she had long hoped for: “I’m finally cancer-free.” She will continue regular check-ups every three months and plans to try for more children in the future.
Hurley is now focused on motherhood and reconnecting with friends, including former castmate Zanab Jaffrey, who has supported her throughout her ordeal.
Looking back, Hurley attributes her strength to her faith. “My strength came from my relationship with the Lord,” she says. She avoided discussing her cancer publicly until it was resolved, but she now views her journey as a testament to her resilience.
On November 2, Hurley and her husband will co-chair a gala where she will share her story and raise funds for cancer research. “It’s a new journey for sure—a different life,” she concludes. “And it made me stronger.”
