My name is Allie, and I’m 23 years old. On August 5, 2025, I was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). In April 2025, four months after graduating from college, I went to the ER for shoulder pain. My life was forever changed when they told me that a CT scan showed an orange-sized mediastinal mass resting on my heart and lung. They told me it looked like lymphoma, and I saw an oncologist the next day. I will never forget the feeling that I felt hearing those words.
Over the next four months, my life felt like one big doctor’s appointment. I had an FNA biopsy that came back benign. I thought this meant I was cancer-free, but this is when I learned that FNA biopsies are not always accurate. This information is extremely important to know, and I wish it was talked about more. If I didn’t learn this, I wouldn’t have been able to advocate for myself and push for another biopsy.
We chose to move forward. After insurance denied a PET scan without an additional biopsy, I had a cervical mediastinoscopy. This was done by my phenomenal thoracic surgeon, Dr. Eric Sceusi, at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. Dr. Sceusi and his team made an incision at the base of my neck, and went down the outside of my esophagus, into my chest, to biopsy multiple swollen lymph nodes. Yet again, we were met with a benign result.
After my PET scan came back with activity on the mass itself, and a lymph node to the right (that was actually biopsied in my previous surgery), it was evident that something was wrong. As a last resort, I had a robotic thymectomy where Dr. Sceusi and his team made three incisions on my left side, deflated my lung, and went in through my ribs to biopsy the mass itself. This surgery is extremely invasive and high-risk, which is why we didn’t jump straight to it. We agreed that if he was able to remove the whole mass with no complications, he would. By the grace of God, he was able to completely remove the mass.
After a chest tube and a night in the hospital, I went home. I’m happy to say that three months later, I have totally recovered from my robotic thymectomy! As hard on my body as this surgery was, if it wasn’t for this, I would not have received my diagnosis.
I tell my diagnosis story to let people know that cancer isn’t always easily found. There are not always symptoms, and there’s not always one test that can be done to come to a conclusion. Some cancers are harder to identify than others, and I’m so thankful for the knowledge of my team of doctors to know when to keep pushing for a diagnosis.
I chose to freeze my eggs due to the risk of infertility from not only chemo but also endometriosis, which I struggle with as well. I started ABVD chemo on September eight, and will have a total of eight treatments, God willing. Yesterday, I had my fourth round, the halfway mark!!
ABVD had given me pericarditis and a pericardial effusion to add to the laundry list of chemo side effects, but I have been blessed enough to have treatable issues.
I couldn’t do this without my God, my family, my friends, and the many people whom I’ve met online who also have cancer. I’ve chosen to document my experience on TikTok, which has introduced me to so many amazing people that I can confidently say will be lifelong friends! They say that cancer is the worst way to meet the best people, and they are absolutely right.
Cancer doesn’t discriminate, and this can happen to anyone. I was no different than anyone when I was diagnosed, and I think that people tend to forget that these things can happen to them. No one is exempt. I’m happy that cancer has taught me how valuable each day is, and while it has turned my life upside down, nothing has ever made me more thankful to be alive.
Allie
Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)
