Torpoint Mayor’s Daughter Returns to Dance After Rare Spinal Cancer Treatment

When dancer Katie-Marie Martin steps onto the stage, the audience see only the performance. What they may not realise is the extraordinary journey that brought her back under the spotlight.

Katie-Marie, daughter of Torpoint’s mayor Julie Martin, has defied a rare form of spinal cancer to continue doing what she loves most.

A Rare Diagnosis

At just 27, Katie-Marie was diagnosed with sacral chordoma, a type of spinal sarcoma cancer so uncommon it affects just one in a million people worldwide.

Her symptoms began with back pain that was first thought to be a slipped disc. After her mother Julie paid for an MRI scan, doctors discovered an 11cm tumour in her spine. A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, turning her world upside down.

As a professional dancer with a new job ahead, Katie-Marie’s life was dramatically altered. Her illness severely affected her strength and mobility, leaving her reliant on crutches.

📷Torpoint's mayor Julie Martin

Treatment and Recovery

Doctors decided against surgery, instead recommending proton beam therapy at University College Hospital in London. Before beginning the treatment, Katie-Marie had a procedure to move her left ovary into her hip area to protect her fertility.

Between June and August, she underwent two sessions of proton beam therapy each day. To her relief, scans later showed the tumour had stopped growing and had shrunk to about a third of its original size.

Katie-Marie, who nicknamed the tumour ‘Timmy’, said she will probably always live with it. She will undergo annual scans for the next ten years, although it is unlikely she will be able to receive further proton therapy because of the impact on her body.

She explained: “I lost lots of muscle during my treatment. I have less mobility and can’t go for a run because I don’t have the stamina.”

The emotional impact was equally challenging, and she received counselling for 18 months.

📷Katie dancing

Back on Stage

Despite everything, Katie-Marie made a return to the stage just three months after completing her treatment. Since then, she has performed in six amateur productions and has also begun teaching dance.

She said: “I do get tired easily, but I’d rather do something to warrant being tired than just be tired from being ill. I limit myself, so I can overachieve.”

Producers make minor adaptations to her routines so she can continue performing, and she remains determined to stay active in dance.

Her mother Julie said: “Katie has always been really strong and pragmatic. I have always taken my lead from her. The fact that she is back doing what she loves is great.”

Raising Awareness

Beyond the stage, Katie-Marie has shared her journey online under the name Chordoma Katie, building a following on Instagram and YouTube. Her openness has helped raise awareness of sarcoma, and in 2023 she won the Young Sarcoma Voice category at Sarcoma UK’s Shining Star Awards.

Julie and other family members have also supported fundraising events for Sarcoma UK, which Torpoint has rallied behind.

Kate Quillin, Acting Head of Research at Sarcoma UK, said: “Katie-Marie’s story highlights the urgent need for new treatments for chordoma patients. While Katie-Marie has responded well to proton beam therapy, we know this treatment isn’t suitable for everyone. That’s why we’ve funded research by Professor Adrienne Flanagan at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital into potential drug treatments targeting the brachyury protein, which is essential for chordoma cells to survive. Research into key drivers of sarcoma could open the door to new treatment options for the thousands of people worldwide living with this devastating diagnosis, giving patients like Katie-Marie even more reason for hope.”

About Sarcoma

Sarcomas are uncommon cancers that can develop in any part of the body, affecting muscle, bone, tendons, blood vessels and fatty tissues. There are around 100 different sub-types of sarcoma.

Sarcoma UK is the only cancer charity in the UK focusing on all types of sarcoma. It funds research, provides support and campaigns for better treatments, having already invested £8 million into 98 pioneering projects.

The charity also runs a free support line for anyone affected by sarcoma. Last year, it received over 5,000 contacts. You can call the confidential Sarcoma UK Support Line on 0808 801 0401 (Monday-Friday, 10am-3pm), email supportline@sarcoma.org.uk, or text 07860 058830 to speak with a specialist adviser.

📷Katie and Julie