Jen Drumm’s Journey

In July 2023, I started having difficulty breathing during my weekly runs. My primary care doctor told me I had exercise induced asthma and referred me to pulmonology. A few weeks later I was struggling to breathe while walking my dog, so I drove myself to the ED. 

Imaging revealed a 10cm tumor in my chest and a lung on the verge of collapsing. After three agonizing weeks of waiting and repeated thoracenteses to drain fluid from my lung space, my results were in: Acute T-cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia. While this is a fairly common pediatric cancer, it is rare and very aggressive in adults. A few hours after receiving my diagnosis, I was called and instructed to come to the hospital that night to start treatment immediately. I told my three kids that I had cancer and then asked them to help me pack for a two-to-four week hospital stay. It was heartbreaking.

The next two and a half years were packed with various IV chemo combinations, countless intrathecal chemo injections, repeated blood and platelet transfusions, chemo pills, numerous bone marrow biopsies, and stressful scans. The treatment was brutal, to say the least. Many days just getting myself to the bathroom would leave me exhausted for hours. On one of my darkest days in 2024, while searching for something to look forward to, I remembered Team Phoenix, a triathlon training group for female cancer survivors. Although it was a group I had hoped to never “qualify” for, researching the program helped me imagine a future where I was strong and active again. I added my name to their list—I was going to be a 2025 Athlete!!

Luckily my health was stable enough in 2025, even while chemo continued, and my oncologist cleared me to participate. Training for my first triathlon with a group of people I’d never met was quite intimidating — but it was exactly what I needed. There was an instant bond with these ladies, a sisterhood, knowing we had all fought through our own hell. I was a member of an amazing group of women—not competing against each other—but supporting each other’s individual growth and triumphs. 

The team was led by a group of compassionate coaches as well as an army of volunteers who showed up at every training session with encouraging words and enthusiastic smiles. Team Phoenix empowered me to break through my physical and mental barriers as I gained strength and confidence. The training helped me process the psychological trauma that also comes with cancer diagnosis and treatment. Crossing that finish line did not signify the end of the journey; it was just the beginning of my physical and emotional rebuilding. Team Phoenix changed my life in ways I did not anticipate, and I am forever grateful for my new sisters. We are STRONG, PROUD, ALIVE, and REDEFINED! 

To learn more about Team Phoenix, visit:  aurora.org/TeamPhoenix

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