Swim Across America, the national nonprofit organization that makes waves to fight cancer through charity swims across the U.S., will host its 16th annual Swim Across America – Dallas Open Water Swim on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Lake Ray Hubbard in Rockwall, Texas. Participants can choose from a half-mile, 1-mile or 2-mile open water swim, with proceeds supporting early detection and innovative clinical trials at the Texas Cancer Interception Institute at Baylor Scott & White Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center. Those who cannot swim in person can participate virtually through SAA My Way. Register to swim or volunteer (on land or water) at swimacrossamerica.org/dallas.

Established in 2011, Swim Across America – Dallas has raised more than $3 million to support cancer research and care at Baylor Scott & White Cancer Center. Each year, the event brings together more than 450 swimmers, volunteers, spectators and supporters, along with past and current Olympians, all united by the goal of improving the future for those diagnosed with cancer.

Diving in this year are two cancer survivors who understand firsthand why research matters: Robyn Starnes, captain of Team Fabulous, and Mark Monson, co-captain of Team Mustang.

Robyn Starnes was just 36 years old when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2014. Surgery and treatment left her unable to speak for a month and changed how she viewed her health and her future. Swimming — a sport she had not pursued seriously in decades — eventually became part of her recovery.

In 2021, a conversation with another former competitive swimmer introduced Robyn to Swim Across America. She signed up almost immediately, and her first Dallas open water swim in 2022 fell on the eight-year anniversary of her thyroidectomy. What began as a single swim quickly became something much larger. Robyn became a dedicated fundraiser, event committee member and Dallas community ambassador and formed Team Fabulous, bringing friends and supporters into the mission with her.

“The three scariest words I ever heard were: ‘You have cancer.’ But now I get to be part of something hopeful,” Robyn shared. “Being part of Swim Across America and actually doing something to help so many with cancer is cathartic. It’s a great community and I love being a part of something so important.”

Mark Monson’s connection to Swim Across America also began before cancer became personal. He first participated in the Dallas swim in 2016 because he loved swimming and wanted to support friends and family members who had faced cancer.

Then, in January 2022, Monson was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer.

The longtime Swim Across America participant suddenly became one for whom  would benefit from the money raised. Today, Mark is celebrating a milestone that once seemed far from certain: He currently has no evidence of disease.

Throughout the past decade, Mark has raised approximately $15,000 for Swim Across America – Dallas and continues to return to Lake Ray Hubbard each year.

“I am motivated to continue raising money because I know precisely where the money goes, and I can see progress being made,” Mark said. 

That progress is increasingly focused on stopping cancer earlier. Funds raised by the Swim Across America – Dallas swim support the Texas Cancer Interception Institute, which brings together research, advanced technologies and clinical care with the goal of detecting and intercepting cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages.

For survivors such as Robyn Starnes and Mark Monson, that creates a powerful connection between every lap swum and every dollar raised.

Nationally, Swim Across America has raised more than $150 million for cancer research since its founding in 1987 and has helped fund clinical trials that contributed to the FDA-approved cancer immunotherapy medications Keytruda, Opdivo, Yervoy and Tecentriq. In the past year, Swim Across America funded a breakthrough clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering that showed that immunotherapy alone could successfully treat certain types of cancer. The organization also recently awarded two first-of-its-kind gene editing innovation grants to the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, advancing novel CRISPR gene and base editing techniques used in targeted therapies, immunotherapies and cellular therapies. Swim Across America supports more than 60 cancer research projects annually, has eight named Swim Across America labs, and supports work at many of the nation’s leading cancer institutions.

For more information, to register to swim, volunteer, participate virtually or donate to Swim Across America – Dallas, visit swimacrossamerica.org/dallas.