On 11/5/2025, Evan received news no person is prepared to hear - he was diagnosed with an acute myeloid leukemia, found on blood tests while he was being seen at a local ER for a persistent cough, leg pain, and fatigue. He was immediately transported to UW Medical Center and started his chemotherapy journey later that evening.

During this difficult time, he will be hospitalized at UWMC to undergo his first round of chemotherapy over the course of a month or so. His family will be with him in Seattle throughout his stay.

The treatment course for AML may be prolonged and filled with unexpected costs, including multiple rounds of chemo, temporary housing for when he can be away from the hospital but must remain near UWMC for several weeks, and possible bone marrow transplant in the future.

Evan is a fighter, and one of the strongest people we know. Before this diagnosis, he was a true picture of health and we expect him to be an ideal candidate for any treatment plan thrown his way. He is a friend, father-figure, and hero to many. His years of service as a firefighter and paramedic have put him in a unique role to both understand his current situation, and to also feel very strange being on the other side of receiving care and support from others in his time of need.

Any donations collected during this time will be put to immediate use for expenses related to treatment, meals, and housing, and surplus funds will be set aside for specific future needs related to possible future hospitalizations.

Additionally, donations for blood products are a crucial part of treatment for leukemia. Evan currently receives multiple blood products, and could not survive without the donations of others. Please consider donating to your local blood bank as a symbol of solidarity on this journey. He would love to hear that his community is making this effort to support a lifesaving cause.

Finally, bone marrow transplants are included in the treatment plan for many leukemia patients. Adding your information to the national bone marrow registry is simple and free, and can be done through the mail without a doctor’s appointment or blood draw. Consider visiting my.nmdp.org to learn more about how to add your information to the registry.

We thank you for taking the time to read this and be a part of Evan and the Swanson family’s journey. We will post updates here intermittently. In the meantime, prayers and good thoughts are always welcome, and we have truly felt the breadth of our community during this initial week, and we extend our most sincere gratitude. Now let’s beat this thing!