Claire Dougherty, a 22-year-old medical assistant from Philadelphia, experienced a severe pain every time she drank alcohol in August 2025. Initially, she was not concerned about the discomfort and switched her alcohol choices. However, in September, she felt a lump in her throat and a CT scan and biopsy revealed a tumor on her trachea, which was causing the pain. She was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that can cause pain when drinking, fever, night sweats and feelings of lethargy. Following chemotherapy, Dougherty completed six rounds of treatment and is now preparing for 20 rounds of radiation.