The first signs of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in freshman Madison Bruhns were initially mistaken for a cold. Then, her lungs collapsed.
Last year, over 1.5 million people were diagnosed with cancer, according to cancer.org. A few weeks ago, Bruhns became one of those people. She was diagnosed with stage three non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the blood that can cause anemia and widespread failures and weakness in the body, including the lungs and organs. Originally, she was misdiagnosed.
“We thought she had a cold, and her voice was getting really hoarse … The doctor told us some things we didn’t agree with, so we got a second opinion,” her father Gary Bruhns said. “They put a scope down her throat, and that’s when they saw that she had a paralyzed vocal cord.”
Bruhn’s symptoms and test results lead to her final diagnosis.
“You never think it can happen to you,” said Riley Bane, friend of Madison. “I just saw her last week and she was totally fine, nothing seemed wrong,” in reference to an ICU visit Bruhns recently made for emergency treatment. “Then, all of a sudden, she’s in critical condition with her lungs collapsed. It turned serious really fast.”
Though she is unable to attend school, Bruhns has received support from many clubs, individuals and groups.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes sold beads and bracelets. Random Acts of Kindness Club solicited t-shirt donations from the student body to make a quilt for her.
The support comes from outside the school community as well.
“With my youth group, we raised money for her,” sophomore Jessica Grinage said.
Word spread and fundraising efforts have started at LHS as well. At the Free State/LHS rivalry basketball game, both student sections put aside their differences and all wore pink and coral, her favorite colors, in show of support.
“The entire gym was a sea of pink and coral,” senior Andrea Stewart said. “It was encouraging to see how a whole town can come together despite the rivalry and push past that in support of Madison.”
Bruhns is currently undergoing chemotherapy five times a week over a period of three years to treat the cancer. Meanwhile, she is working on school from home. Her family is doing their best to stay positive.
“Her tumor has shrunk and her lung has reinflated … She’s doing better,” Gary Bruhns said. “A simple goodbye in the morning before work or a goodnight hug. It’s about the small things.”
To donate or help out, speak to a representative of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club, Random Acts of Kindness club or the Renaissance Committee.