‘Love Is Blind’ Alum Shaina Hurley Reveals She Was Diagnosed With Cancer While Pregnant

Love Is Blind alum Shaina Hurley is opening up about her complicated recovery journey after being diagnosed with cervical cancer while she was three months pregnant. 

The reality personality, who appeared on Season 2 of the Netflix hit dating show in 2022, revealed in an interview with PEOPLE published Wednesday, Sept. 4 that she had “no symptoms” before receiving the news that turned her world upside down. After receiving abnormal pap smear results, Hurley underwent a colposcopy to allow doctors to study the abnormal cells of her cervix further. 

A month later, she received the news that her results were “not looking good,” and she was diagnosed with Stage 2 cervical cancer while pregnant with her and husband Christos Lardakis‘ first child. Doctors recommended Hurley undergo a cold-knife conization to determine the extent of her cancer and remove as much as they could, but her pregnancy proved to be a complication.

“The problem is, I was pregnant. [The] cervix is what holds pregnancy. I was at just around three months and so I would most likely lose the baby,” Hurley explained. “At that point, I just couldn’t risk it.” Another option was to undergo laparoscopic surgery to make sure the cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes, 

“It hadn’t spread to the lymph nodes but they were still wanting to do chemotherapy,” Hurley shared. “I still had no symptoms, so I did deny chemotherapy. It was hard for the doctors because I was their patient first. And I was a tough patient.”

Hurley also pushed back when doctors suggested she deliver her baby at 32 weeks so they could treat her cancer, ultimately delivering at just over 37 weeks into her pregnancy. She gave birth to a healthy baby boy, son Yiorgos David, in February. “I don’t think my husband and I ever had stronger battles in our marriage,” Hurley shared of her pregnancy complications. “He wanted the baby but he would also say, ‘Shaina, I don’t want to lose my wife. I want you to be here to raise the baby.’”

Two weeks after giving birth, Hurley suffered a mini-stroke, from which she recovered without major side effects. She then underwent the cold knife conization procedure twice, as it was unsuccessful the first time. In June 2024, Hurley revealed she was declared cancer-free, although she still is required to check in every three months to make sure she stays that way.

Hurley and Lardakis still want to expand their family with another child but have to wait a year from her last surgery to make sure the Netflix star’s body is recovered. For now, she’s enjoying time with son Yiorgos, who turned 6 months old in late August. “I can’t believe my baby is 6 months old. You guys weren’t lying, it goes by so fast!” Hurley wrote on Instagram at the time. “You make us so happy Yiorgos. Cherishing every moment is this precious season.”