Sean Swarner | The Legacy Project | Cancer Survivor

About

Sean Swarner was voted One of the World’s Top 8 Inspiring People of all Time and is the recipient of ESPN’s, Don’t Ever Give Up Award.

He is a two time cancer survivor who was first diagnosed at age 13 with Hodgkin’s Disease and later with Askin’s sarcoma and is believed to be the only person in the world to ever have been diagnosed with both these deadly cancers.

Sean established his own foundation (The Cancer Climber Association) which promotes cancer awareness and helps raise money for cancer research. He is also the author of Keep Climbing.

Sean Swarner is Driven By | Knowing there are others in the world who are fighting for their lives, who need a little boost in life. Those who need hope in their lives are the ones who inspire me to Keep Climbing.

 

My Highlights | Battling through two cancers and being in remission is something to be proud of, but I was also given 3 months to live and then 14 days to live.  I was also in a coma for a year and now only have one lung. Climbing Everest with that one lung and becoming the first cancer survivor to stand on top of the world is something to be proud of as well.  What makes me most proud is when I speak to people and see that I’ve influenced their lives for the better… knowing I’ve made a difference.

 

The Difference Between good And Great | A certain set of values combined with confidence… but not over-confidence.  One must truly remain humble to achieve greatness.

 

Start Having Already Achieved | Many people view goal-setting incorrectly.  They picture the mountain and start at the base, in essence “climbing” to the summit and moving forward on goals accomplished.  Those successful goals give them a sense of encouragement and desire to continue.  What’s not correct about that view is when an obstacle is placed in one’s path that difficulty may be too large or overwhelming to overcome.  In my personal view… I begin successful.

 

I begin on the summit.  I take the mountain and flip it upside down.  Before I even begin on any journey, I picture the end result and make it real in my mind’s eye, and if any obstacles get in my path, they will only slow me down… never stop or prevent me from achieving my goal.  Why?  Because in my head I’m already there and anything that gets in my way is never enough to deter me from the emotions of already accomplishing my goal.

 

It Is important To | Live by a certain set of morals and ethics.

 

A Critical Skill To Achieve Success | It’s a mental ability to perceive success in my mind even before beginning.

 

How I Use My Mind | It’s very important to do something that works for you, something that’s unique to your personal style of success.  However, during the journey to your goal, always remember that you do not have to be THE best…. But be YOUR best.

 

Advice On Building Wealth | Keep everything in perspective.  Keep in mind that neither of those terms (wealth or richness) mean the same to everyone, but if you want to feel rich or wealthy…. remove everything you have that money can’t buy and see what you have left.  Then you will truly feel rich in life.

Interview Questions

[everest_form id="26923"]

View further interviews.

The Legacy Project

Riaan Cruywagen started reading the Afrikaans news on SABC in 1975 and is regarded as one of South Africa’s iconic voices, guiding many through the turbulent 80’s and 90’s. He considers himself a truly proud South African and his legacy lives on as one of the best news anchor’s of modern times. The Legacy Project […]

The Legacy Project

Ian Gabriel is a South African film and commercials director based in Cape Town, South Africa. He directed the film Forgiveness starring Arnold Vosloo, which treats the theme of forgiveness in post-apartheid South Africa. His 2013 film Four Corners was selected as the South African entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy […]

The Legacy Project

Exploring the online realm via his areas of interest namely wine and education, Sam Paddock has developed Get Smarter with his brother Rob Paddock. Aiming to improve lives through better education, the brothers lead a dynamic team showing groundbreaking results. As a key note speaker, Sam also educates via his personal blog and here, shares […]

Tumi Frazier

Tumi Frazier Legacy Project is a passionate South African entrepreneur, a powerhouse in every sense of the word. Through her inspirational leadership, combined with an ambitious vision and an endless source of energy, her company, Tumi Frazier International, is helping to develop thousands of new women leaders in Africa. Tumi Frazier Legacy Project Tumi Frazier […]

  • United States
  • Keynote Speaker
The Legacy Project

Emily Bell is the first girl to kayak the length of Britain as the crew captain on Sean Conway’s record-breaking swim. Stand-up paddle boarded 1001 miles down the Missouri River as the writer on Dave Cornthwaite’s big swim. Back in London, she is Deputy Editor of new adventure magazine, Avaunt. With many other adventures up […]

The Legacy Project

Pepe Marais is one of SA’s advertising creative icons with a track-record to make anyone in the local advertising landscape swoon with awe, admiration, and to be honest, in my case, a twinge of jealousy. Together with his business partner, he founded the award-winning, highly acclaimed and sought-after agency, Joe Public, whilst still in his […]

The Legacy Project

Lauren Bush is the CEO, Creative Director, and Co-Founder of FEED Projects, as well as the Chairman of the Board and Co-Founder of the FEED Foundation. Lauren started her work as an Honorary Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP) in 2004, when she helped to launch their Universities Fighting Hunger initiative. In 2008, she […]

The Legacy Project

Prof Jonathan Jansen is the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State. He is also the Honorary Professor of Education at the University of the Witwatersrand and Visiting Fellow at the National Research Foundation. Jansen also serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director for Advtech Limited and is the Chairman at the School […]

Disclaimer
The profiles and images embedded on these pages are from various interviews conducted by The Legacy Project.

These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.

Our Mission

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME