“Swimming has been my salvation and peace during treatment (and in life) and as long as cancer is out there I will continue to raise money for research and treatment of cancer.”

Kathleen Tetreault or Kitty as those close to her call her, has devoted much of her life to Swim Across America. For over 30 years Kitty has been leading, fundraising and making a difference in the fight against cancer. She originally got involved due to her love of swimming. “I love swimming and I thought why not combine a job with something you love. I met a great group of people who have become family to me and I was doing something that had a purpose and making a difference.” Kitty was the SAA-Boston event director for over two decades helping to raise millions of dollars for cancer research and clinical trials. 

Kitty’s motivation for her involvement with SAA became even more urgent when she herself was diagnosed with cancer. “Cancer had not touched me personally when I began my journey with SAA. Over the years I knew more and more people who had been diagnosed with cancer and then one day it was me. In some ways I was not surprised. Why not me? Cancer can strike anyone at any time and it was my time.” Kitty found comfort in the fact that Swim Across America Boston supports two great beneficiaries, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Mass General Hospital for Children Cancer Center, and knew she would receive great care in her Boston community. Kitty embraced swimming event more to help her cope during her cancer diagnosis and treatment.

“Swimming has been my salvation and peace during treatment (and in life) and as long as cancer is out there I will continue to raise money for research and treatment of cancer.”

Kitty has been cancer free since 2016. She continues to help out with the SAA-Boston swim and is a National Safety Director for numerous other SAA swims.

Swim Across America is celebrating 35 years of impact in 2022. SAA has raised $100 million since its inception in 1987 to support cancer research and clinical trials across the U.S. Please contact Jeni Howard at jhoward@jhowardpr.com for media inquiries.