Young Valley Mother, Physician to Run Against Cancer after Personal Battle with Aggressive Form of Breast Cancer 

Running in this weekend’s Race Against Cancer 5k sponsored by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Dignity Health 

PHOENIX, Ariz. (September 28, 2025) –A young Valley mother, avid marathon runner, and neurologist with Barrow Neurological Institute at Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center is running in the 12th annual Race Against Cancer 5K, a partnership between the Dignity Health Cancer Institute and the Arizona Diamondbacks, after being declared cancer-free.

Taking on a challenge is nothing new to Glynnis Zieman, MD, director of the Barrow Brain Injury and Sports Neurology Center. Besides being an expert on traumatic brain injury in athletes,  she is also a wife and a mother to two young boys. But when Dr. Zieman first received her diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)  in February 2024 at 37 years of age, it was a different kind of battle than anything she’d faced before. 

Dr. Zieman’s diagnosis highlights the growing issue of more young adults being diagnosed with cancer and the importance of regular screenings. 

“Breast cancer in young women can be aggressive and poses the additional challenge that it can occur before routine screening starts,” explains Dignity Health medical oncologist Albert Wendt, MD. “Being aware that breast cancer can occur in young women is important. We cannot assume that because someone is young that breast cancer is not a risk. Echoing this sentiment Dr. Zieman notes, “Regular screenings can be a matter of life and death. Even if you feel fine, keep up with your regular screenings to rule out anything serious.”

Despite her diagnosis at a young age, Dr. Zieman was focused on survival and had a great support system in place.

“More than anything, I felt like I couldn’t give up because of my family,” Dr. Zieman, now 39, shares. “They instilled so much strength and surrounded me with so much love, which made a huge difference.”

Dr. Zieman  underwent five months of chemotherapy and three surgeries at the Dignity Health Cancer Institute  before the cancer was completely removed in September 2024. Since then, she has had no recurrence.

A big factor in Dr. Zieman’s recovery was her healthy lifestyle. As Dr. Wendt puts it, “Particularly in younger women with more aggressive breast cancer, lifestyle is an exceedingly important part of the treatment plan and exercise is important for tolerance of the treatment and protection from long-term side effects of the treatment and improves the outcome for breast cancer. Dr. Zieman's lifestyle is clearly exemplary and goes a long way to improving her outcome and our success.”

Now, Dr. Zieman is paying it forward in the Race Against Cancer, though this won’t be her first race by any means. She is an accomplished runner, having completed 74 marathons around the world.

“We want to give a big thank you to the Arizona Diamondbacks for supporting the care we provide via the Race Against Cancer,” Dr. Wendt says.

Reflecting on the care she received and the message she has for others, Dr. Zieman shares “I’m so grateful for everything the Dignity Health Cancer Institute team did for me while I fought this illness. “I hope my story helps other survivors or those still battling cancer to feel less alone and inspires them to keep going.”

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