Young Woman Runs First Marathon 5 Years After Hodgkin's Lymphoma Remission

Inspiring Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

• 💡 At just 20 years old and a sophomore at Rutgers University, Hardy Bhavsar was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma.
• ⚠️ Symptoms began in early 2020, but COVID-19 lockdowns delayed her diagnosis, leading to a period of isolation during treatment.
• 🏥 Hardy underwent 6 months of chemo and radiation, facing infusions, surgeries, and treatments entirely alone.

Finding Strength in Running Post-Treatment

• 🧠 Following remission, Hardy experienced increased anxiety, which she channeled into running as an outlet.
• 🚀 She discovered a love for running and found it empowering, especially as she had never been a runner before her treatment.
• ✅ Now, celebrating 5 years in remission, Hardy set a goal to run her first marathon.

Raising Awareness and Breaking Stigma

• 💬 Hardy aims to raise awareness for young people battling cancer, particularly within the South Asian community, where she perceived a stigma around discussing illness.
• 🤝 She founded a support group while at Rutgers and is now running in support of Blood Cancer United.
• 💪 Her message is one of strength, emphasizing that fighting cancer does not equate to weakness.
• 🏆 Hardy, who began training in January, is proving the power of cancer survivors, one step at a time.