For years, Laura D’Alleman considered herself healthy, active and strong. Running became a central part of her life, but something wasn’t quite right.
Beginning in 2018, the Lexington, S.C. runner noticed her heart rate climbing unusually high during runs. Even short distances left her feeling limited. Medical evaluations offered reassurance but not answers.
“I knew my body,” D’Alleman recalls. “This didn’t feel normal.”
She adapted her workouts and pushed through the symptoms. Like many active people, she assumed the discomfort was something she simply needed to manage.
Then came the moment that changed everything.
In July 2023, while lifting weights overhead, D’Alleman felt a sudden pop in her arm. At first, she thought she had injured her shoulder, but over the following days, her arm began to hurt. The pain grew worse. A bulge appeared beneath her arm, followed by prominent blue veins stretching across her chest.
An ultrasound soon revealed the cause: a deep vein thrombosis, or blood clot, in her arm.
D’Alleman’s search for answers led her to Dr. Kevin Chang, vascular surgeon and academic faculty member at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and the vascular team at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, a part of Advocate Health.
“What stood out immediately wasn’t just his expertise, but his willingness to listen, to look deeper, and to connect the dots others had missed,” D’Alleman said.
The diagnosis ultimately led to a diagnosis of Paget-Schroetter Syndrome, a form of venous thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that occurs when structures near the collarbone compress blood vessels or nerves.
According to Chang, thoracic outlet syndrome can be difficult to recognize, particularly in younger, healthy individuals.
“It's an uncommon finding for someone young and healthy to have a blood clot in the arm,” Chang said. “The diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome is rare, and relatively few vascular surgeons specialize in treating it.”
Chang and his team developed a treatment plan aimed at correcting the underlying cause of the clot. The approach included surgical decompression to create more space in the thoracic outlet and procedures to restore blood flow through the affected vein.
“Our group at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist specializes in managing challenging diseases like thoracic outlet syndrome,” Chang said. “It takes a strong team working in collaboration with the patient to achieve the best outcomes. We pride ourselves in defining care with our proven protocols, while still addressing the unique needs of each patient.”
On Nov. 9, 2023, D’Alleman underwent surgery to remove her first rib on the affected side. The recovery was challenging, but the results were almost immediate.
“I felt this release almost immediately,” she said. “Like my body could finally breathe again.”
As her recovery progressed, D’Alleman and her physicians continued investigating lingering symptoms on her left side. Advanced imaging techniques eventually revealed another area of compression that occurred only during movement. In June 2024, she underwent a second first-rib resection.
The difference was life changing.
Treating both sides restored blood flow and addressed the anatomical compression responsible for her symptoms, Chang said.
“She had more blood returned from her arms on both sides, she got all her energy and functionality back as well,” he said. “That really is what augmented what she could do.”
The outcome exceeded D’Alleman’s expectations.
She returned to running cautiously at first, uncertain how her body would respond. But each run felt different. Stronger. Easier. More familiar.
“What started as a short, cautious run turned into something more,” D’Alleman said. “I felt strong. Free. Capable in a way I hadn’t experienced in years.”
That feeling inspired a new goal: the New York City Marathon.
For D’Alleman, running the marathon, one of the world's most iconic races, is an anniversary celebration: three years since her first surgery and one year of fully returning to her passion.
For Chang, D’Alleman's the race is an illustration of what is possible when the root cause of a problem is identified and treated.
“The problem's fixed,” he said. “If you fix that anatomic compression, the risk of this becoming a problem again is very, very low.”
But this is more than just crossing a finishing line. For D’Alleman, the journey is an opportunity to share her story, helping someone recognize their symptoms sooner, seek treatment earlier, or avoid a potentially dangerous complication.
Looking back, she remains grateful for the team that helped her reclaim her health.
“You changed my life,” she said of Chang. “Thank you for listening. Thank you for caring. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
