On November 14th, my 61st birthday, I, David Swanson, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. I am determining the best course of action with my doctors, but a comprehensive surgery to remove around half my tongue and a subsequent reconstruction from muscle in my body will need to be performed. There is the possibility it has entered my lymphatic system, and radiation therapy will likely also be necessary.

I am a Pulitzer Prize-winning freelance photojournalist and have performed my art in dangerous theaters that have made it difficult to find comprehensive medical coverage. I will have a significant cost outlay that will exceed my ability to cover the full payments, and, although it is not in my nature to ask for help, I am seeking any donations to help cover my expenses and still receive quality care.

Given the sub-mucosal nature of the type of cancer they found in my tongue biopsies, there is a high probability that the cancer took root due to my trade and exposure in the field. I would be humbled by any amount you might be able to donate to help get me through this difficult time.

More about David Swanson:

For those of you unfamiliar with David's work, he has covered war zones (from Bosnia, to Ground Zero in New York City, to Afghanistan, to Iraq), natural disasters (the 2010 Haiti Earthquake, the LA Fires) and even red carpet events like the Oscars. If you would like to view some of David's work, it can be found here: https://www.photoswanson.com/index

While David's photos illustrate what it looked like standing where he stood to take newsworthy images, they can't tell you what it felt like. For this reason, David was recently approached to start a podcast to share those experiences. You can listen to "Just the Photographer with David Swanson" on Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-the-photographer-with-david-swanson/id1830042077