You have a child who is a great athlete. Life is full of swim meets, baseball games, and soccer games. Most weekends you are just trying to keep up with the busy schedules. Then you find out your child has cancer. What next?
In this interview from 2008, I talk to Davisite Mark Barr about his personal journey, what he lost, and what he has gained. When Mark was 14 years old he lost his leg due to a tumor. At that point he had been a competitive swimmer for 10 years (I used to be his coach) and he also played baseball and soccer.
While going through chemotherapy, Barr was introduced to Paralympic swimming as a way of cheering him up, and he has gone on to become a strong member of the U.S. Paralympics Swimming National Team. Soon after this interview, Mark traveled to Beijing for his second trip on the Paralympic team.
In the episode, Mark and I talk about his experience with cancer and as an amputee, what it’s like participating in the Paralympic games, and what his goals are for his future.
A brand new interview with Mark Barr is coming out this Friday on How She Really Does It. In the twelve years that have passed since this episode he’s participated in two more Paralympic games making him a three time Paralympian. He and I talk about where he is now, disappointment, overcoming obstacles, and experiencing the lows and highs in life.
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LISTEN HERE
WHAT YOU WILL DISCOVER
- Mark’s cancer story
- How Mark got back into swimming
- What the Athens opening ceremony was like
- The places that Mark’s journey has taken him
- How his competitive nature helped Mark keep moving forward
- What it was like learning how to swim as an amputee
- What it’s like going to the Paralympics
- Mark’s recommendation for how to interact with someone who is going through cancer
RESOURCES FOR YOU
- Mark Barr: Instagram | Team USA Bio
- Mark’s blog from 2008
- My new interview with Mark [Link will be active starting 9/18/2020]
- Get my new on demand workshop: Trusting Yourself
- Sign up here to receive Friday Podcast updates, Sunday Love letters, and Wisdom Wednesdays.