Swimming with Cancer (and Other Nuisances) -- Stories

Hi All, I am starting a monthly column in Swimming World Magazine that profiles a swimmer overcoming/incorporating a serious, life-affecting physical setback. It's called "Survive & Thrive" and you'll read about swimmers of all ages, all speeds, all situations. Do you know anyone with a great story? If so, please email me at phmullen@usa.net. The first two columns deal with a lung-cancer survivor swimming with half a lung...and a heart-attack victim coming back to set Masters world records. In the future, you'll read about survivors of *** cancer; age-group kids swimming around childhood diseases; elite athletes overcoming issues to be world class. There's a deep personal vein running through this: The first story, the lung thing, is written in 1st person. That's because last year at age 35 I was diagnosed with a rare lung cancer that required one biiiiig surgery and slightly unclear future. Um, ouch. I know there are 1,000s of survivors in pools around America! Yet, when I started looking for inspirational stories that would help my own recovery, I couldn't find any. So I decided I'm going to be the one to start writing them. Please let me know! Do you have a story?! Do you know someone who does?! I'll post the first column when it's closer to publication date (~2 weeks). Survive & Thrive, P.H. Mullen PHMULLEN@USA.NET Author, "Gold in the Water"