25-Year-Old’s Cough Was the First Sign of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (Exclusive) [Video]

Jace Yawnick first noticed his cough in August 2023.

The Boston native would start coughing every time he laughed – and it kept getting worse. A month later, during a work trip to New York City, Yawnick struggled to run from his hotel to Central Park. He had to stop numerous times to catch his breath, which was unusual for the fit 25-year-old.

Around the same time, he started experiencing fatigue and back pain, which led him to seek medical advice from multiple doctors and specialists. Initially, he was prescribed medication for acid reflux.

After being dismissed by his primary doctor and others for several months, Yawnick saw a chiropractor who suggested the possibility of a hernia in his chest. On Jan. 18, Yawnick got a chest X-ray.

“That same day, they came back with the report,” Yawnick recalls in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE. “They didn’t find a hernia, but they discovered a mediastinal mass and two shadows …