At InspireMore, we’ve seen unlikely people triumph in impossible circumstance, but when Sean Swarner was a teenager he beat the odds in a truly incredible way. Before he’d even graduated high school, Sean beat terminal cancer not once, but twice.
Swarner was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 13 and advanced Askin’s Sarcoma at the age of 16. At age 16, he was given 14 days to live, but despite the odds, he survived.
These days, Swarner finds himself in the least likely places you’d expect. With only one functioning lung, the now 42-year-old has climbed the highest mountain on every continent (including Mount Everest!) and walked to the South Pole… but he’s not done yet.
On April 1st, Swarner will complete the ‘grand slam’ of adventuring by walking to the North Pole. Swarner will carry a ‘Hope’ flag with names of those touched by cancer printed on it.
“When I’m battling the elements, when it’s 60 below, when I want to give up, I read those names and get inspired by them,” says Swarner. “I can always call someone to rescue me, but those fighting for their lives don’t have that option.”
Everything Swarner does, he does for those who cannot fight for themselves. Check out the incredible story in the video below!
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