[rank_math_breadcrumb]

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

After leaving her role as the founding CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau of South Africa (IAB SA) Josephine Buys, a dynamic and no-nonsense leader in the publishing and marketing industry in South Africa is now the new CEO for Publisher Research Council (PRC). Her interview below typifies the way she goes about life. It’s […]

The Legacy Project

By almost losing her voice in a freak accident, Wendy Spinks found her destined ‘voice’ and is now the Co founder & Creative Director at Zeropoint Studios. Today Wendy’s expression comes not only from the sound emanating from her voice box or from her training in fashion but also through animations and a huge drive […]

The Legacy Project

Roman Rezac is a prolific South African retail entrepreneur with 25 years experience in a constantly evolving environment. He was an International knee-board surfer before he made his passion for beach lifestyle into a career. He opened his first Surf store in 1993 in Durban with borrowed capital and with hard work and perseverance he […]

The Legacy Project

Addressing her fears and inner doubts means Susan Hayden tells off a fictional guinea fowl called Martha. Susan waxes lyrical via her Disco Pants Blog offering a distinctive opinion on a wide range of topics. Her honest and intuitive approach keeps her audience reading until the end. Here Susan shares a bit about her wonderful […]

The Legacy Project

Having a passion for inspiring people to believe in themselves and become everything they are capable of becoming, Mark is charged with transforming Luck Companies into a global Values Based Leadership (VBL) organization. In his role as Chief Leadership Officer, he serves as a thought leader for the ongoing development of the VBL ideology and […]

The Legacy Project

Over the last 25 years Wade Bales has built a hugely successful wine brand and business for himself and his colleagues on the back of an obsession to have both unsurpassed local industry knowledge and the most intimate of personal relationships with SA’s leading winemakers. His unique wine merchant business model, which closely resembles that […]

Shep Hyken

Shep Hyken Legacy Project is a customer experience expert and the Chief Amazement Officer of Shepard Presentations. He is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and has been inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement in the speaking profession. Shep works with companies and organizations who […]

  • United States
  • Keynote Speaker
The Legacy Project

Linda Olagunju is the Managing Director at DLO Energy Resources & Founder of the Renewable Energy Forum South Africa. She holds an LLB from the University of Cape Town and an LLM in International Commercial Law with a specialisation in Oil and Gas Law from the University of Aberdeen. Linda was part of the team […]

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