A breast cancer survivor turned heads on Sunday after competing in the New York Marathon topless to proudly display her scars and raise awareness for the disease.
Lauren Spiezia completed the grueling 26.2-mile course through the five boroughs on Sunday, crossing the finish line with an official time of four hours and 54 minutes.
The 32-year-old mother from New Jersey used special anti-chafing tape as a makeshift support, braving the elements without a shirt on the day.
Taking to Instagram prior to the race, she wrote: ‘26.2 miles. Topless. Scars and all.
‘At 31, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and learned I carried the BRCA2 mutation. 16 rounds of chemo. 8 rounds of immunotherapy. A mastectomy. Reconstruction.
‘Today, I’m running the NYC Marathon with my scars uncovered, because I’m still here. I’m running for the women and men in the treatment chair who need a reminder of their resilience.
A breast cancer survivor turned heads on Sunday after competing in the New York Marathon topless to proudly display her scars and raise awareness for the disease
Spiezia’s harrowing health journey began when she was 31 years old after discovering a lump
‘I’m running for the 1 in 8 U.S. women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, and for every woman who doesn’t know her risk yet.
‘And I’m running for me, because my scars are not something to hide. They’re the evidence that I fought and lived.’
Spiezia’s harrowing health journey began at 31 years old. She had recently left her job in wealth management to stay at home and care for her one-year-old son.
After discovering a lump in her breast, she was initially told by her OB-GYN that she was too young for a mammogram, and a subsequent ultrasound screening came back completely benign.
Refusing to ignore her instincts, a breast surgeon finally sent her for a proper mammogram, biopsy, and MRI, revealing she had stage 2 triple-negative cancer in one of her breasts.
Spiezia was simultaneously diagnosed with stage 1 ER/PR-positive cancer in the other breast. During the diagnosis, she also learned she carried the BRCA2 gene mutation.
She underwent a treatment plan at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, enduring 16 rounds of chemotherapy and eight rounds of immunotherapy to fight the disease.
During her recovery, she set a goal to run a half marathon to rebuild her strength. That initial goal blossomed into the ambition to tackle the New York City Marathon.
During Sunday’s race, Spiezia ran as an official member of the hospital’s Fred’s Team.
