The Olympic Silver Medalist Who Survived Cancer: Kevin McDowell Shares His Story

August 19, 2021
Jamie Cesanek
Jamie Cesanek

Jamie Cesanek, Assistant Web Editor for CURE®, joined the team in March 2021. She graduated from Indiana University Bloomington, where she studied journalism and minored in sociology and French. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, running, or enjoying time with friends and family. Email her at jcesanek@curetoday.com.

In this episode of the “CURE® Talks Cancer” podcast, Olympic triathlete Kevin McDowell discusses his cancer journey and shares some insight on his experiences at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Olympic triathlete Kevin McDowell has pushed his body to the limit in more than just athletics. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at a young age – a diagnosis that interrupted his training – and dealt with both physical and emotional repercussions for years after.

In this episode of the “CURE® Talks Cancer” podcast, McDowell discusses his cancer journey and shares some insight on his experiences at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“In 2013 actually, two years after my treatment, I almost stepped away completely from the sport and was like ‘I can't do this anymore,’” McDowell said. “My body kept breaking down. I wasn't right. And so I actually put a focus on school and took five months away from the sport, and just did a little bit of activity, but nothing that was considered training. And then five months after, I was kind of ‘Hey, I actually want to maybe give another go at this triathlon thing.’”

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