My name is Kara Wolter. I was diagnosed with metastatic osteosarcoma (bone cancer that started in my left knee and spread to my lungs) on March 17, 2017 at 26 years old. I went through 6 different chemotherapies. They were very harsh on my body and I have long lasting mental and physical effects. During the course of 3 years, I had multiple biopsies, procedures, and surgeries.

After multiple lung surgeries and a limb salvage surgery, I had a reoccurrence in my leg and ultimately had to have an amputation above my left knee and had six lung wedge recession surgeries to remove tumors. I have been NED (no evidence of disease) since January 28, 2021!!! My reoccurrence rate is very high, and I was only given 15 to 20% chance to live 5 years. I am now thriving as a cancer survivor.

The one thing that kept me going was swimming. I have been swimming since I was about 10 years old, I swam on a club team and moved on to middle school swim. I had a shoulder injury, so I was unable to swim high school, but I swam on my own all through high school!

I have been swimming with Swim Across America Motor City Mile to raise money for the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center for since 2019. All the money that I raise will be turned over to the Rogel Cancer Center to further research and treatment options for all different types of cancers. Most people know somebody or them themselves have been diagnosed with cancer. Please consider donating to this great cause!

Swimming is one of the few activities that makes me feel normal now even with the loss of my leg. I also now work as an assistant coach for the same swim team I learned to swim with and still swim 3-4 times a week!