Sports · Running & Athletics · 11 hrs ago
Breast cancer survivor runs New York City Marathon topless to show her scars
Lauren Spiezia ran the New York City Marathon topless on Sunday to show the scars from her breast cancer treatment.
The 32-year-old from New Jersey completed the 26.2-mile course through the city’s five boroughs in four hours and 54 minutes.
She was diagnosed with two types of breast cancer at 31, after finding a lump and seeking further tests.
She also learned she carried a BRCA2 gene mutation, which can increase the risk of breast cancer.
Her treatment included chemotherapy and immunotherapy, followed by a mastectomy and reconstruction.
Spiezia said she ran to raise awareness and encourage people in treatment, as well as women who may not know their risk.
A goal to run a half marathon grew into the New York race, where she ran as a member of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Fred’s Team.
Breast cancer survivor Lauren Spiezia ran the New York City Marathon topless to show her scars and raise awareness of breast cancer.
The 32-year-old completed the 26.2-mile course through New York’s five boroughs in four hours and 54 minutes.
Spiezia said she wanted to encourage people undergoing treatment and show that her scars were not something to hide.
She was diagnosed with two types of breast cancer at 31 and learned she carried the BRCA2 gene mutation.
She underwent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, a mastectomy and reconstruction.
- Who
- Lauren Spiezia, a 32-year-old breast cancer survivor from New Jersey.
- What
- She ran the New York City Marathon topless to show her scars and raise awareness of breast cancer.
- When
- Sunday. The article was published on 2 November 2026.
- Where
- The New York City Marathon course, which runs through the five boroughs.
- Why
- She said she wanted to raise awareness, encourage people undergoing treatment and show that her scars were evidence that she had fought and lived.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Spiezia was diagnosed with stage 2 triple-negative cancer in one breast and stage 1 ER/PR-positive cancer in the other, and learned she carried the BRCA2 mutation.
She underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy and eight rounds of immunotherapy.
She set a goal of running a half marathon, which grew into the ambition to run the New York City Marathon.
Spiezia ran the marathon topless and finished in four hours and 54 minutes.
- Runner
- Lauren Spiezia, 32, from New Jersey
- Race distance
- 26.2 miles
- Finish time
- Four hours and 54 minutes
- Diagnosis
- Stage 2 triple-negative cancer and stage 1 ER/PR-positive cancer
- Treatment
- 16 rounds of chemotherapy and eight rounds of immunotherapy
- Gene mutation
- BRCA2
What people are saying
26.2 miles. Topless. Scars and all.
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.
my scars are not something to hide. They’re the evidence that I fought and lived.