What happened, in summary

Katie Gilmore was 12 weeks pregnant in 2023 when she went to the emergency room after coughing up blood for 24 hours. After several days of tests and a biopsy, she received the diagnosis over Mother’s Day weekend: neuroendocrine lung cancer. The immediate question was whether to have surgery during pregnancy or wait another 6 months until after delivery.

The first doctor recommended immediate surgery, but Katie and her family pursued more opinions. She met with 7 doctors, and 2 were comfortable waiting until after the baby was born. The plan carried a risk that recurrent bleeding could force emergency lung surgery, but Katie chose to wait. She delivered a healthy son, Tommy, on November 7. Three weeks later, successful surgery removed the cancer along with half of her left lung.

After physical therapy, Katie returned to running. She had completed 5K and half-marathon events before cancer and had run a 5K just 10 days before she began coughing up blood. Although she felt survivor’s guilt because she did not need chemotherapy or radiation, sharing her story and training gave her a way to support others. She was preparing to run her first 26.2-mile marathon in Paris on April 13, 2025, alongside her sister Bridget.