A medical diagnosis that sidelined Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has brought renewed attention to blood clots. For Midlands resident Laura D’Allenman, the condition changed her life in 2023 and set her on a long road to recovery.
Now, D’Allenman is preparing to run the New York City Marathon on Sunday, hoping to raise awareness for people affected by blood clots.
“Nobody should be sitting in their car crying, thinking their life is over,” D’Allenman said.
D’Allenman was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, a condition in which blood clots form in deep veins. Her diagnosis came just months before her wedding and led doctors to discover additional vein compression disorders.
“When all of this happened, I just felt like my world was kind of crashing down,” D’Allenman said.
She was also diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition involving compression of blood vessels near the collarbone that can contribute to blood clot formation.
The diagnosis brought uncertainty as she and her fiancé, Fabian, prepared for their wedding.
“It was a lot of emotions to take in, but again, all I could really do is be there for her and support her, do whatever we needed to do and be flexible to get the medical help she needed,” Fabian D’Allenman said.
Laura connected with Dr. Kevin Chang, an Atrium Health physician who specializes in treating vein conditions in Winston-Salem.
“Laura had such prolonged, debilitating symptoms, really on both sides, which is pretty uncommon on both sides, to then get her to a point that she’s able to run a marathon,” Chang said.
D’Allenman underwent her first surgery in November 2023 and a second in June 2024.
As she recovered, she began running and set a new goal for herself.
“I didn’t want to be bedridden all day and risk something else. So, like I said, I started running, and around when I got to three miles, four miles, which I hadn’t been able to do in years, I literally remember just kind of stopping and taking a moment. I sat down. I was like, I can do this. I’m going to run a half marathon,” she said.
That goal eventually led her to marathon training. In December, she completed her first marathon as she worked toward running the New York City Marathon.
“Once I started kind of training up, I wanted to make sure before I represented such an important cause that I could do it,” D’Allenman said.
Her husband says he is proud of the discipline and determination she has shown throughout her recovery.
“I’m inspired by my wife for her to be able to do this and to have the discipline that she has, because it’s hard work. It really is,” Fabian D’Allenman said.
The couple is scheduled to leave for New York on Wednesday. Chang and Fabian both shared messages of encouragement ahead of race day.
“Laura, I’m so proud of you. Best of luck on this run, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with how well you’ve recovered,” Chang said.
“I’m really so proud of you, and I wish you all the best, and I’m so happy to be your husband and support you,” Fabian said.
For D’Allenman, the marathon represents more than a personal accomplishment. She hopes sharing her experience can help others facing similar challenges.
“If there’s anything to take away from it, it’s just the whole situation, this whole thing has been a privilege, and I’m so grateful for the position I’m in to be able to help others,” she said.