Lauren Speelman, then 20 years old, initially dismissed her persistent cough as a minor irritation. However, after the cough lingered for over a month, she sought medical attention in 2020. Doctors attributed her symptoms, including fatigue, to a possible lingering effect of COVID-19 or the general stresses of student life, advising her to wait for improvement. Weeks stretched into months, and nearly two years passed with the cough unabated. Speelman began experiencing night sweats, and by Thanksgiving 2021, her mother took her to the emergency room. There, she was diagnosed with asthma and prescribed medication and an inhaler. Despite subsequent ER visits for worsening chest pain, diagnoses varied, including bronchitis and pneumonia.
A Difficult Diagnosis
The situation escalated when Speelman found herself unable to walk the five minutes to class due to severe shortness of breath. This prompted another hospital visit, where a comprehensive battery of tests was finally conducted. The results revealed stage four Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. Speelman recalled asking a doctor if it could be cancer earlier, only to be told it was not.
Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, characterized by abnormal multiplication of B-cells. While it is one of the more treatable forms of cancer, especially when detected early, treatment success decreases as the disease progresses. Approximately 9,000 Americans are diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma annually, with about 1,000 deaths. It is notably one of the most common cancers diagnosed in individuals in their 20s.
Early warning signs can include painless, swollen lymph nodes in areas like the neck or groin. If enlarged lymph nodes press on airways in the chest, it can lead to a persistent cough or shortness of breath. Patients diagnosed in the earliest stages have a five-year survival rate of around 95 percent, which falls to about 84 percent for those diagnosed after the disease has spread.
Treatment and Recovery
Speelman began chemotherapy shortly after her diagnosis. The treatment regimen was physically taxing, often requiring her to use a wheelchair and causing hair loss. Despite the challenges, she continued her studies, graduating from college in May 2023. Two months later, she received the news that she was cancer-free. Following her recovery, Speelman focused on rebuilding her strength and took up running, an activity she had not pursued before.
She plans to run the New York City marathon on November 1 to raise money for the cancer charity First Descents. Speelman aims to convey a message of resilience, stating that while cancer can have devastating effects, recovery is possible.