The Emory University swimming and diving team returned to Lake Lanier to participate in Swim Across America, an event that raises funds for childhood cancer research, on Sept. 21. The team has raised $37,580 so far, but for senior swimmer Nolan Lahmann, the fundraiser is about more than the money.
At 2-years-old, Lahmann was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia, having to undergo three years of chemotherapy. In 2015, he was finally deemed cancer-free. Eight years later, he watched as Will Kerscher (24C, 25B) led the team to raising $77,000 to win the College Cup, a friendly year-long competition where collegiate swim teams participating in Swim Across America try to raise the most funds.
So, when the heads of Swim Across America asked Lahmann if he wanted to be captain this year, he immediately said yes.
The event had an even larger turnout this year with over 650 people signed up for the open water swim. The Eagles have participated in Swim Across America with indoor swims at the Woodruff Physical Education Center since 2013, but this marks the second time the team has traveled to the open water event.
As a driving force for the team, Lahmann said he wants to share his story to help with fundraising. At first, he said he was uncomfortable talking about his experience with cancer but reminded himself that the ultimate goal of Swim Across America is to help other people’s cancer journeys end in triumph too.
“This is one story, let’s create more,” Lahmann said. “It’s something … a lot bigger than myself and doing this for the betterment of cancer research, for the betterment of other childhood cancer patients, and even cancer patients in general, it’s for them.”
After sharing his story to Kerscher and Swim Across America last year, Lahmann was invited to attend a pre-event dinner. There, he met former Olympians and a bone cancer survivor who was in the midst of chemotherapy due to a disease recurrence.
“Meeting all those people, including that cancer patient, was pretty eye-opening that not everybody is as fortunate as me and [cancer] can come back at any time,” Lahmann said.
Jeffrey de Groot (23B) swam in Lahmann’s backstroke group when he was on the Emory swim team. The two grew close during difficult early morning practices, so de Groot was excited to come out of retirement and swim alongside Lahmann again for Swim Across America.
As the son of a neural oncologist, de Groot grew up familiar with cancer. However, Swim Across America did not offer an event in his hometown, Houston, until six years ago when de Groot’s father helped kickstart an open water swim in the city.
De Groot participated in the event all four years he was on the team, but the Eagles did not attend the swim at Lake Lanier until his final season. He described the open water event as “really spectacular.”
“Right before the race started … they had people come down to the lake and place flowers in the pool as a moment of silence for loved ones who have been affected, which is really special,” de Groot said. “It was really a big community event, not only for us as a team, but everybody there taking a moment of silence and really finding what we’re all there to swim for.”
Participating in Swim Across America is not only limited to swimmers. Freshman diver Jacqueline St. Clair, one of the leading Emory students in fundraising this year, said she reached out to the parents of the kids she coaches for swim, dive and skiing back home for help with fundraising.
St. Clair did not swim on Saturday but still showed up to support her teammates. She joked she was happy to stay on land and did not know if she would be able to complete the three mile-swim.
“It’s my first thing I could do in college that was able to help other people,” St. Clair said. “It was such an easy thing for me to do, just send out the link and write a little message, and it raised a bit of money and it’s hopefully going to help them.”
Lahmann plans on continuing the fundraising efforts. The position as captain for Swim Across America is not something that he takes lightly. Lahmann is giving his all to help those who are in the position that he was in a decade ago.
“The year I retire from swimming is also the 10 year anniversary that I was declared cancer-free,” Lahmann said. “Being elected as the leader of this team really means a lot to me. I’m really doing the best I can ... to represent Emory at Swim Across America in the best way that I can.”
