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American Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau was diagnosed with cancer on June 19 after spending years training for his dream – to represent in his country in the greatest sporting event in the world, the Olympics.

Shanteau just qualified for Beijing when he was forced to deal with a major choice: Should he have surgery for the cancer ? Or, should he put it off for another month so he could swim at his first Olympics?

Shanteau chose the Olympics. Surgery will have to wait. The 24-year-old Georgia native will  be monitored closely over the next month by U.S. Olympic team doctors and vows to withdraw if there's any sign his cancer is spreading, having blood tests once a week and a CT scan done every fortinight. Mark Schubert, head coach and general manager of the U.S. team, supports Shanteau's decision to swim in Beijing. 

"Eric is handling this situation with courage and poise, and his decisions to compete at the Olympics and to share his story for the benefit of others, are evidence of that courage," Schubert said. "While we are hopeful that he will be able to compete, Eric's heath remains the absolute top priority."

Shanteau's camp already has heard from the agent of Lance Armstrong, who overcame the same disease and won the Tour de France seven straight times”