Jack Punswick‘s swimming profession was speculated to be a Cinderella story.
Throughout the spring of his sophomore yr, Jack was lower from his highschool baseball staff, forcing him to surrender the game he performed his complete life. Needing a brand new outlet, he joined the highschool swim staff. When he first began swimming, he struggled to interrupt 1:10 within the 100-yard breaststroke. However after becoming a member of his native membership staff and competing for a yr, he received the Kansas 6A state title within the occasion his junior season and clocked a finest time of 57.94. Headed into his senior season, he certified for the USA Swimming Futures Championship and Speedo Sectionals and set his thoughts on swimming both Division I or Division II in school.
Then, Jack began to really feel sick.
courtesy of Eric Punswick
Jack first skilled signs earlier than he traveled to futures in Minneapolis on July 24, and received recognized with pneumonia. At first, he brushed it apart as common sickness. However after competing at Futures, he found swollen lymph nodes on his neck, which grew larger over time. After taking his first recruiting go to to the College of Nebraska-Omaha on September 8, he lastly determined to get them checked out.
A couple of days later, Jack was recognized with stage II Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of most cancers. Out of the blue, all the plans he had for his swimming profession got here to a cease.
“It was a blow,” Jack mentioned of his analysis. “Such as you by no means thought it could occur to you, proper? After which it occurs to you, and also you’re like, ‘now what?’ It’s form of like an alternate actuality the place now it’s worthwhile to prioritize your well being.”
“As an alternative of attempting to swim, I would like to start out engaged on recovering. As a result of I’ve observed that going to observe, I imply, it sucks. It hurts attempting to swim, it hurts much more. I can’t do the identical cardio units. I’ve observed my lung capability has shrunk rather a lot.”
In a matter of days, Jack’s schedule went from being full of recruiting journeys and swim meets to chemotherapy appointments and check-ups. His dad and mom, Karen and Eric Punswick, had been additionally thrown into overseas territory, as their household by no means had historical past with Hodgkin lymphoma (their solely quick relative with most cancers was Eric’s mom, who battled breast most cancers with out going by way of chemotherapy). Karen needed to take non permanent go away from her job as a highschool English trainer to assist her son.
Jack, nonetheless, didn’t view most cancers as a ‘battle,’ however as an alternative as a barrier that he’s able to breaking down. He’s decided to defend his state title and take his swimming profession again to what it was earlier than, however with a brand new perspective and the individuals round him serving to him by way of his journey.
“There should not satisfactory phrases to explain the sensation of any guardian being informed that her little one has most cancers,” Karen mentioned. “Every little thing involves a screeching halt, and what you understand is that typically it’s important to take issues second by second, day-to-day. Now we have at all times mentioned that we will do something collectively as a household, we will get by way of something.”
To Swim or To not Swim?
When Jack determined to maintain swimming after his analysis, his dad and mom had been initially hesitant, fearful that the sports activities could be too bodily draining on his physique. Nonetheless, seeing Jack’s drive to succeed regardless of adversity made them proudly stand behind his selection.
“Jack has been of the mindset that he’s going again to the state meet,” Karen mentioned. “He has a mindset that he makes objectives and units them…it’s one thing that I love tremendously about him. I imply, as a guardian, you’re at all times involved about you’re little one’s security…however Jack has been resilient so many occasions in his life that he’s constructed for this journey.”
Due to Jack’s most cancers analysis, he canceled his scheduled recruiting journeys, opting to take a spot yr earlier than going to varsity. As well as, he withdrew from all of his fall swimming competitions — he wouldn’t be racing till he needed to qualify for state championships in early 2025.
As an alternative, Jack started chemotherapy on September 19. His chemotherapy appointments happen each two weeks till December 26, which is just a bit below two months earlier than his state championship meet. He’ll then have a remaining screening in late February, which is when he’s projected to be cancer-free. Based on Jack, the survival charge for his particular type of Hodgkin lymphoma is 98%, which means that it’s curable with therapy.
Proper now, Jack is doing two-hour periods once-a-day, virtually day by day of the week, together with his membership staff, the Cool Swim Crew. Nonetheless, on the weeks that he has chemotherapy, he turns into so sick that he has to skip observe from Thursday by way of Sunday.
“For the primary couple days after, it’s most likely the worst feeling you’ll ever really feel,” Jack mentioned of chemotherapy. “You’re extraordinarily nauseous, you don’t need to get off the bed, and general, only a feeling of fatigue and [disgust]. However as you progress additional into the week, particularly after you progress your physique and also you eat properly, you are feeling so significantly better.”
Jack earlier than senior homecoming, courtesy of Eric Punswick
As a result of Jack has a port in his chest used to obtain chemotherapy therapy, backstroke coaching is painful for him. He additionally struggles to swim butterfly given the general pressure it places on his physique. He trains primarily breaststroke, his strongest stroke, and does the occasional cardio freestyle exercise. Most of his exercises are targeted on approach — he jokingly calls this coaching interval a “five-month taper.”
Even with sickness and bodily limitations disrupting his coaching, Jack nonetheless appreciates what swimming can do for him on this part of his life. Alongside faculty, it offers him a way of normalcy and one thing to chase after. He’s additionally seeing flashes of his outdated self whereas swimming — a couple of weeks in the past, he did a damaged 100 breast in observe, and clocked a 59-point time.
“I can’t consider a greater sport for [Jack] to be concerned in whereas going by way of this,” Eric mentioned of swimming. “As a result of it’s all about making your self enhance these private data that you simply get, and there’s no asterisk on it…we’re jut blessed that this is part of Jack, and he’s ready to do that whereas going by way of the most important race that he’s dealing with, which is thrashing most cancers.”
All through Jack’s journey, his household supported him each step alongside the best way. Karen and Eric have taken trip of their jobs to drive him to his chemotherapy and screening appointments. Jack’s youthful sister, Grace, made bracelets and t-shirts studying “Crew Jack” together with her softball staff. Jack’s youthful brother, Luke, voluntarily shaved his head when Jack went bald simply 45 minutes earlier than his senior homecoming, and Eric adopted swimsuit. Jack’s older sister, Anna, who’s away at school, commonly FaceTimes him and sends him Instagram reels.
Whereas his household uplifts him, Jack can be embracing the battle of most cancers upfront, reasonably than being ashamed of it.
“Once you ask, ‘How are we?’ Resilient. Jack is so robust,” Karen mentioned. “It’s one factor to be going by way of most cancers your individual self…however then additionally, he talks about how he will get double takes and typically triple takes by individuals, and he’s like, ‘Why would I conceal? Why would I put on hats to cowl my head? Why would I?’”
“He’s simply so robust and brave and courageous in each side of his life. He’s my hero. Completely my hero.”
The Future
Right now, Jack’s most cancers is in partial remission, together with his tumors getting progressively smaller over time. Whereas he’s recovering, he’s had the prospect to replicate upon his future, realizing that his battle could also be a blessing in disguise.
Initially, Jack wished to check civil engineering in school. However due to his most cancers analysis, he now desires to be a bodily therapist, as forming shut relationships together with his docs made him uncover that he wished to dedicate the remainder of his life serving to others. As well as, he believes his swimming experience would additionally help him on this area.
“I need to do one thing larger than myself,” Jack mentioned. “After that most cancers analysis and I noticed individuals put smiles on my faces and make me really feel higher, I used to be like, ‘that is what I’m going to do.’”
Jack’s most cancers restoration journey has additionally given him some once-in-a-lifetime alternatives on a newer timeline. He was granted a “want” from the Make-A-Want basis and can use it to take a trip together with his household in both Hawaii or the Bahamas. As well as, he’s gotten to attach with different swimmers who’ve crushed Hodgkin lymphoma, in addition to skilled athletes like MLB participant Anthony Rizzo and New Orleans Saints tight finish Foster Moreau.
Though the quick ascent of Jack’s swimming profession didn’t final ceaselessly, nor was it a Cinderella story, it might be one thing higher. He took an unbelievable activate his path, but it surely’s one which makes his arc all of the extra particular.
“I’m simply pleased with [Jack]. He may have crumbled on this one. He may have crumbled different occasions in his journey with swimming, and he’s it like, ‘I’m nonetheless going to make it, I’m nonetheless going to swim in school and I’m going to beat this,’” Eric mentioned. “And that mentality is simply complete grit. He has religion and he’s gonna make it.”
