It was an “Appendicitis-like” attack during practice this fall that prompted Mary Griffin, a sophomore at Virginia Tech and member of the women’s lacrosse team, to seek immediate medical attention. Testing revealed that she was positive for COVID-19 but it was a CT Scan that identified the unthinkable, a rare form of Pancreatic cancer. In November, Mary had surgery and doctors were successfully able to remove the tumor, and now requires bi-annual screenings to ensure that her cancer does not return.
Ironically, it was a few large lumps on her neck that initially prompted Marsie Salvatori, a senior at Stanford University and former member of the women’s lacrosse team, to seek medical attention. On August 26th, 2020, which so happened to be her 22nd birthday, Marsie received the shock of a lifetime, when tests revealed that she had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a form of blood cancer. Over the past few months Marsie has been undergoing chemotherapy and has experienced a full range of side effects including the loss of her hair, which she says has been uncomfortable and very difficult to process.
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