The Traitors' Livi opens up about having her eye removed as a teenager
A new year and a new season of The Traitors is upon us, which also means getting to know a whole new cast – including Olivia Deane, who goes by Livi, who has bravely spoken about why she had her eye removed as a teenager. It's an experience that the 26-year-old model and beautician says was extremely difficult at the time, but which has helped her develop resilience that could prove useful while on the show.
Speaking to the BBC about her tactic ideas, Livi also described herself as a 'fighter' due to her previous health issues.
"I’m a fighter, I've been through a lot in life, I had my eye removed at 14 and at the time I didn't cope with it very well," she explains. "When I had my eye removed, I had to adjust to a whole way of living. At the age of 14 all my friends were experiencing being a teenager and growing into adulthood, and I was starting chemotherapy."
Livi added that she has a positive outlook on life and hasn't let the experience hold her back. "I've always just got on with it, I've never dwelled on it, and I've adjusted to my new life. I think that comes with everything now, I never give up, I always push and I want to succeed," she shared, also explaining that she's the mother of a 15-month-old boy – and she wouldn't be "going into The Traitors if it wasn't important to me, I'm doing it for him".
As for how she'd spend her winnings if she manages to make it all the way to the end, Livi said as well as planning a family holiday and investing, she'd like to repay the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust for all the support they've given her.
"I definitely want to donate some money to the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust. They've done so much for me, they helped me when I lost my hair, they helped me get a wig," she said. "They've helped me with getting my perfect prosthetic eye which I'm so happy with. I've been so unhappy with previous prosthetic eyes and people wouldn't even notice now. I'm so grateful for them and I want to help the other children going through it.
"It’s from the ages of zero to five and they go through so much at such a young age, it would mean everything for me to just give something back."
According to the NHS, there are several different types of cancer that can impact the eye. It adds that symptoms to mindful of could include:
shadows, flashes of light, or wiggly lines in your vision
blurred vision
a dark patch in your eye that's getting bigger
partial or total loss of vision
bulging of one eye
a lump on your eyelid or in your eye that's increasing in size
eye irritation that is not going away
pain in or around your eye, although this is rare
Livi has also written a memoir about her experience, My New Normal, which journeys her cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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