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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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Running a marathon is no mean feat, but just imagine running it topless. That is exactly what one breast cancer survivor did to embrace her mastectomy scars.
Lauren Spiezia was one of the 60,000 people who took part in the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon on November 1, all in the name of a heroic cause. With the eyes of the world watching her, the mom and business owner ran the entire 26.2-mile race topless to show the physical impact of her breast cancer battle.
Spiezia of New Jersey told Newsweek that the New York City Marathon “felt like the right stage” to convey her message as the route took her past the very hospital where she was treated. She completed the race in 4:54:04, after teaming up with Memorial Sloan Kettering and Besound (a women’s health platform that provides a free Tyrer-Cuzick breast cancer risk assessment) as part of her campaign.
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“If I was going to put my body on display for a cause, I wanted to do it in front of as many people as possible, in the place where my own medical story unfolded,” she said. “Being topless was never about being sexual or for the male gaze— quite the opposite. It’s about taking charge of our health, advocating for ourselves, and standing up for women’s health.”
On November 15, 2024, Spiezia was just 31 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, mere weeks after noticing a lump. Staying active was vitally important throughout her treatment, which included chemotherapy, immunotherapy, a mastectomy, and reconstructive surgery.
According to the American Cancer Society, about one in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. It is the most common cancer in women in the U.S. besides skin cancers, and it is the second leading cause of cancer death among women.
Spiezia had never been an avid runner before, but she gradually built up her stamina during treatment. What started with daily walks turned into short runs which kept getting longer. Eventually, she ran 13.1 miles and knew that a marathon was her next challenge.
“The idea to run topless came from how I felt the first time I changed in a locker room after my mastectomy. I caught myself turning inward to hide my chest, but I’d never done that before,” Spiezia said.
She continued: “I promised myself I wouldn’t let shame dictate how I showed up in the world. Running the marathon with my scars visible is how I’m keeping that promise. After all, those scars are evidence of what was needed to save my life—they’re a badge of honor.”
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New York State law dictates that it is legal for women to be topless in public, so Spiezia approached her medical team with the idea, and they supported the campaign from the beginning.
She ran under Team LakLak (named after her beauty brand which launched on race day), a sub-team of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Fred’s Team. Fred’s Team is named in honor of Fred Lebow, who co-founded the New York City Marathon in 1970 and established Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as its first official charity.
“There were many people who were shocked when I ran past, but an even greater amount were supportive, emotional, and saw a piece of themselves in this run, and that was the goal in all five boroughs,” she said.
While Spiezia’s reconstructed breasts and her mastectomy scars were exposed, her back and arms were covered during the race. She had a QR code on her back which led to the Tyrer-Cuzick breast cancer risk assessment, powered by Besound.
If that wasn’t enough, she also launched her own non-toxic cosmetics brand, LakLak Beauty on race day.
“The brand, the run, and the risk assessment are part of the same mission: to give women information and products I would have wanted during my own treatment,” Spiezia said. “I was told I was too young for a mammogram, but I want every woman to know her own risk.”
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Understanding her body’s limits after cancer treatment was significant, although it was difficult for Spiezia to accept that her body would never be like it once was. She had gone through treatment and multiple surgeries, so her training looked different to that of other runners.
Fortunately, she teamed up with Michael Brydges, a coach who understood her journey. Before they even started on a training plan, they created a pre-training plan to recalibrate her body and set the foundation for what was yet to come.
There was also the practicality of running 26.2 miles after getting reconstructive breast implants. She used Nood body tape to support her chest while still being able to show her scars.
Completing the marathon enabled Spiezia to feel strong and showed her exactly what her body is capable of, despite what it has gone through. She is still in active treatment, but hopes her achievement will inspire other survivors and raise awareness for breast cancer among women of all ages and backgrounds.
“Day to day I feel more like myself than I have in a long time. But that change doesn’t happen overnight. I’m finding myself again slowly, and the woman I’m finding is even better than she was before,” Spiezia told Newsweek.
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Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Charlotte Nisbet and Paul Donnelley.
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