Swimming a one-mile open water swim is challenging, but swimming a one-mile open water swim with cancer is nothing short of remarkable. David Lemley is one of those remarkable people.

David, 65, first participated in Swim Across America – Seattle in 2021 supporting his wife, Janie’s, team “InMemory”, named for the loved ones she lost to cancer. Over the years, their team has raised more than $8,000. It wasn’t until this year that David’s understanding of cancer became very personal.

“Last year, I really struggled to finish the swim,” said David. “The reason being, unbeknownst to us at the time, that I was fighting plasma cell leukemia, a very rare and aggressive form of blood cancer.”

This may seem like a rare occurrence, but often Swim Across America participants become fighters of their own cancer battles, giving their involvement a new meaning and a sense of urgency.

“Swim Across America is extremely important to help fund urgent and necessary research in order to help more people become cancer survivors. SAA gives hope to those, like myself, who are fighting the cancer battle right now,” shared David.

Swim Across America’s guiding principle is that money raised local stays in each community. In Seattle, all proceeds from community events support immunotherapy clinical trials and cancer research at Fred Hutch Cancer Center.

Participants that fundraise know that the funds they raise will support their community to help people they may know, or in David’s case, his own treatment. Despite being a fundraiser year after year, David never imagined he would become a direct recipient of the treatment himself and hundreds of other swimmers help support. 

After receiving his diagnosis in November 2024, David was thrown into a new world of hospital visits and chemotherapy treatment. As he prepared for his double stem cell transplant at the VA Medical Center near his hometown, David had his first visit to Fred Hutch Cancer Center (FHCC).

“I was at the VA for 13 days and then headed to Fred Hutch for the incredible procedure of Apheresis, where they harvest 17 million of my stem cells. Janie and I wore our Swim Across America t-shirts to commemorate this very special day,” said David.

“On Monday, May 5th, I celebrated my new ‘birthday’ with the first transplant of approx. 8.5 million of my own stem cells,” said David.  

After 16 days in the hospital following the procedure, David was released to go home to rest and recover before his second stem cell procedure on June 9.

For the Lemley family, participating in this year’s SAA-Seattle has a deeper meaning.

“Now, more than ever, we are committed to raising money for our amazing Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center!” said David.

If you’re inspired to support David and Team InMemory, give here.