Sean Swarner

In 1990 Sean Swarner was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease and Askin’s Sarcoma, making him the only person to ever be diagnosed with both cancers at the same time. Although the odds were stacked against him, Swarner continued to fight and live. Doctors told him he would have a better chance winning the lottery five times than being able to survive his cancers, but he did just that, and not only survived but flourished and inspired millions in the process. Upon graduating from Willard High School in 1993 and earning his degree from Westminster College in 1997 he began climbing mountains, wrote a best-selling book called Keep Climbing, and established his own foundation called The Cancer Climber Association. In 2007 the Jimmy V Foundation and ESPN honored him with the Don’t Ever Give Up Award for his courage in the face of almost certain death. A testament to his never give up attitude, in 2008 Swarner completed the Ford Ironman World Championship with a final time of 11 hours and 44 minutes.