Swim Across America – Seattle Shares 2024 Impact Report and Progress Updates

Posted on February 13, 2025February 13, 2025 Posted in #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, seattle, UncategorizedTagged biology, cancer, fundraise, fundraising, health, immunotherapy, medicine, Philanthropy, swim across america, swimmingLeave a comment

For 15 years, Swim Across America has fueled innovative early-stage research at Fred Hutch Cancer Center and UW Medicine and helped launch the careers of dozens of young scientists. We’re proud to share details about the six most recent projects made possible through funds raised in 2022 and 2023 by Swim Across America – Seattle and the dedicated swimmers who participated. From improving patients’ quality of life to overcoming tumors’ resistance to immunotherapy, these innovative projects have the potential to dramatically enhance cancer treatment.

Inspired to Make Waves to Fight Cancer this year? Swim, volunteer or donate to SAA-Seattle at swimacrossamerica.org/seattle.

Kate Markey, MBBS, PhD, FRACP | Stem cell transplantation

Assistant Professor, Fred Hutch and UW Medicine

Project: Restoring the gut microbiome after blood stem cell transplant

Background: Fred Hutch researchers have shown that while blood stem cell transplantation continues to be the most effective treatment for multiple myeloma, it can also severely damage patients’ gut microbiome, leading to strong gastrointestinal side effects and poor outcomes. Dr. Markey, a medical oncologist who studies the gut microbiome and its role in recovery from transplant, developed a study to examine whether a five-week, plant based, whole-food diet can restore patients’ beneficial gut bacteria and improve immune function and outcomes.

2024 progress statement: Dr. Markey and her colleagues opened the trial in October, and by the end of the following month they had enrolled seven patients, or one-third of their goal. They are collecting stool and blood samples and plan to analyze all of them once the trial is complete. If all goes as expected this summer they intend to use the resulting data to apply for a federal research grant to support a much larger, randomized clinical trial.

Alexandre Hirayama, MD | Blood cancers

Assistant Professor, Fred Hutch and UW Medicine

Project: Understanding how large B-cell lymphoma evades CAR T-cell therapy

Background: Less than half of patients who undergo CAR T-cell therapy for large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) enjoy long-lasting remission. We’re not sure why, but the answer may lie in the tumor microenvironment. There’s still so much we don’t know about this collection of cells, stroma, and blood vessels that surround and support the tumor, including how it might suppress cancer therapies. Dr. Hirayama, who specializes in treating patients with B-cell malignancies, is studying the tumor microenvironment in minute detail to help identify and explain how patients’ tumors may mute CAR T cells’ effectiveness.

2024 progress statement: Dr. Hirayama has gathered the necessary tumor samples for these studies and refined the techniques and technologies that will allow him to study immune, stromal, and tumor cells in the tumor microenvironment. He expects to begin studying the samples in summer 2025.

Diane Tseng, MD, PhD | Lung cancer

Assistant Professor, Fred Hutch and UW Medicine

Project: Reducing inflammatory effects of immunotherapy in patients with lung cancer

Background: Many patients with lung cancer who are treated with checkpoint inhibitors experience a condition called checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis (CIP). If left untreated, CIP can cause irreversible damage. Recent research shows that immune cells called napsin A–specific T cells may be involved in mediating CIP. Dr. Tseng, an oncologist who specializes in treating patients with lung cancer, is working with McGarry Houghton, MD — a Fred Hutch and UW Medicine professor and holder of the Satya and Rao Remala Family Endowed Chair — to study napsin A–specific T cells’ role in CIP and exploring strategies for muting it.

2024 progress statement: Dr. Tseng’s work has focused on 1) developing a method for detecting napsin A– specific T cells in donor blood; 2) developing a method for taking those cells and growing more of them in the lab; and 3) creating a test to determine whether a different T cell can eliminate them. This work will establish the foundations for understanding the function of napsin A–specific T cells and the role they might play in CIP.

Emily Liang, MD | Blood cancers

Hematology/oncology Fellow, Fred Hutch and UW Medicine

Project: Mitigating serious side effects of CAR T-cell therapies in patients with blood cancers

Background: While CAR T-cell therapy has revolutionized treatment for patients with blood cancers like lymphoma and multiple myeloma, it also comes with a high risk of fever, fatigue, body aches, and even neurologic impairment. Though these conditions are reversible, they can be life-threatening and prevent older and frailer patients from receiving CAR T-cell therapy at all. Dr. Liang, who specializes in acute leukemias and CAR T-cell therapy, and her mentor, Jordan Gauthier, MD, MSC, a Fred Hutch and UW professor and former Swim Across America funding recipient, want to make these treatments accessible to a wider range of patients. So, the pair launched a first of-its-kind trial to study whether a drug typically prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis called anakinra can prevent these inflammatory responses.

2024 progress statement: After treating more than 30 patients in their clinical trial, Drs. Liang and Gauthier found that prophylactic administration of anakinra did not seem to be effective in preventing cytokine release syndrome, a side effect associated with a high level of inflammation in the blood. However, prophylactic anakinra did seem to reduce the severity and duration of neurologic side effects as well as the need for steroids. Importantly, Drs. Liang and Gauthier also found that anakinra may impair the treatment’s effectiveness against tumors. Now, the pair are planning to study how anakinra mitigates inflammation in the brain, whether there may be alternative prevention strategies, and how anakinra impacts CAR T-cell function.

Saurav Kumar, PhD | Colorectal cancer

Postdoctoral Fellow, Fred Hutch

Project: Exploring new uses for existing drugs to treat colorectal cancer

Background: Colorectal cancer is one of several cancers driven by a process called gene fusion, in which two independent genes combine incorrectly and begin producing proteins that can lead to cancer. And though a range of drugs have been developed to target these fusions and stop the mechanism that promotes cancer growth, they’ve so far been ineffective against colorectal cancer. However, Dr. Kumar, who studies metastasis, recently discovered that patients with colon cancer who receive TRK inhibitors (TRKi) experience a drop in TRK fusion protein levels, suggesting that these inhibitors may be degrading the cancer-causing fusion proteins. He plans to study the interaction that causes this protein degradation with the goal of one day using TRKi to create more effective therapies for patients with this form of cancer.

2024 progress update: Dr. Kumar and his colleagues have developed three protein degraders, called PROTACs, based on an FDA-approved TRKi. Now they plan to begin testing them on colorectal cancer cells in the lab to better understand the mechanism that leads to TRK fusion protein degradation — which could one day inform the development of targeted therapies for patients with these cancers.

Yapeng Su, PhD | Pancreatic cancer

Postdoctoral Fellow, Fred Hutch

Project: Overcoming solid tumors’ resistance to immunotherapies

Background: Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to treat. Though we’ve found a protein on tumor cells that would seemingly make for a good immunotherapy target, treatments that have been studied and validated in the lab fail in patients — likely due to unique characteristics of the tumor microenvironment. Using technology that allows us to see the interaction of cells within tumors and better understand how they influence one another, Dr. Su, who studies adoptive cellular immunotherapy, is examining the mechanisms that cause immunotherapies to fail and exploring techniques to overcome them.

2024 progress statement: After completing a detailed study of samples from tumors previously treated with adoptive T cell therapy, Dr. Su found that they contained several cell types that were both potentially immunosuppressive and arranged in distinct patterns throughout the tumor microenvironment. He also identified several subtypes of T cells (whose role is to attack cancer cells) that no longer functioned properly. In the coming months, Dr. Su plans to further analyze the T-cell subtypes and their placement within the tumor microenvironment to better understand why they stop working. What he finds could one day help us better engineer T cells to overcome those immunosuppressive forces.

Swim Across America – Louisville In the News

Posted on September 17, 2024September 16, 2025 Posted in #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, event directors, louisville, News, Pool Swims, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Read or watch local stories featuring the Swim Across America-Louisville community to learn about their impact. Learn more about the event and beneficiary, UofL Brown Cancer Center, at swimacrossamerica.org/louisville.

WLKY CBS News

Making waves to fight cancer: Louisville swimmers raise $61K for cancer research

WDRB

Dozens participate in Louisville’s Swim Across America to fight cancer

2024 Media Highlights

SAAswim.com, Swim Across America blog

First-Ever Swim Across America – Louisville Family-Fun Pool Swim to Make Waves in the Fight Against Cancer

Spectrum News 1

Dozens plunge for a purpose in Louisville

WLKY, CBS News Louisville

‘Swim Across America’ fundraising in Louisville

MSN.com

Hundreds of Louisville area swimmers make waves fighting cancer

SHANNON CARNEY: A SURVIVOR’S JOURNEY TO HONOR LOVED ONES AND MAKE WAVES TO FIGHT CANCER

Posted on September 9, 2024 Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, charlotte, Making Waves With Hope, Messages of Hope, News, Uncategorized2 Comments

At 37, Shannon Carney received a diagnosis that would alter the course of her life — a breast cancer diagnosis that has shaped her journey for over two decades.

*Shannon Carney, a breast cancer survivor, swam at the 2023 SAA-Charlotte open water swim.*

“It changes a person to their core,” Shannon says as she reflects on the battles fought not only by herself but by those she loves. “Cancer has taken a lot from me, including my mother to pancreatic cancer and my father to prostate cancer.”

Now, Shannon is celebrating 21 years of being cancer free and her second year supporting Swim Across America – Charlotte. She joins SAA-Charlotte event director and good friend, Patty Waldron, on team MSA Team Out of My Box.

This year, her participation in SAA-Charlotte carries a deeply personal dedication. She swims in memory of Rob DiFrank, a dear friend who passed away last November.

“Rob’s life was tragically cut short by a rare blood cancer at the age of 40. His loss is felt not only by his friends but also by his surviving wife Lauren, herself a cancer survivor, and their miraculous four-year-old son, James,” shared Shannon.

The pain of losing loved ones to cancer is a familiar one. Over her 18 years of involvement in the cancer support community, she witnessed firsthand the devastation cancer can bring to both young and old.

*Shannon and her friend, Rob DiFrank, who lost his battle with a rare blood cancer in November 2023.*

“The research support that Swim Across America provides is an important path to reducing the pain and suffering that cancer can bring,” she says, emphasizing the critical role that the organization plays in the fight against cancer.

*Shannon smiling through cancer treatments!*

Shannon’s commitment to cancer survivors extends beyond swimming with Swim Across America. She and her husband, Dave Pschirer, co-founded Wind River Services, a cancer wellness program that operated for 17 years, offering free support to cancer survivors. Prior to operating Wind River Services, Shannon was a corporate lawyer.

”I’m grateful to the team of dedicated and caring professionals that helped our community during the toughest fight. This program became a lifeline for many, providing hope and healing without any financial burden,” said Shannon.

Shannon retired in January of this year, and she reflects on the impact her team had on the lives it touched.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to join Swim Across America and continue to give back to a community that has given me so much.”

If you are moved to support Shannon, click here.

6th Annual Swim Across America – Houston to Make Waves in the Fight Against Cancer on October 5

Posted on September 6, 2024 Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, Fundraising, houston, Making Waves With Hope, SAA My Way, Top Fundraisers, Uncategorized1 Comment

250 Swimmers and Volunteers will Dive in at Exciting New Location to Raise Funds for the Swim’s Beneficiary MD Anderson Cancer Center

Swim Across America, a national nonprofit dedicated to raising funds for cancer research through swimming events, is thrilled to announce the 6th annual Swim Across America – Houston open water swim on Saturday, October 5, 2024. This year’s swim will take place at a new location, the popular Margaritaville Lake Conroe in Montgomery, Texas, which also hosted an earlier pool swim in May. Swimmers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate, choosing between a 1/2-mile, 1-mile, or 2-mile swim to support vital cancer research and clinical trials at Swim Across America – Houston’s local beneficiary, MD Anderson Cancer Center. Swimmers and volunteers can register at swimacrossamerica.org/houston or those who wish to donate can do so as well.

Since its founding in 2019, Swim Across America – Houston has raised more than $340,000 for MD Anderson Cancer Center. Each year, the event brings together more than 250 swimmers, volunteers, Olympians, and supporters who join forces to make waves in the fight against cancer.

One of the swim’s most inspiring participants is Rob McLaren, the top fundraiser and leader of the “Shell Smashes Cancer” team. Rob recently completed the impressive 12-mile width of Lake Tahoe in just a speedo, raising funds for MD Anderson to improve treatments for Glioblastoma, a highly aggressive form of brain cancer with a challenging 25% five-year survival rate.

“We hope and pray that MD Anderson can develop an immunotherapy to preclude the use of harsh, less effective treatments such as chemo,” said Rob, who had set a goal to raise $12,000 — or $1,000 for every mile he swam in the frigid waters of Lake Tahoe. To date, Rob has raised an amazing $17,229 this year alone, and has consistently been the top fundraiser in previous years of Swim Across America – Houston events, raising a total of $160,700 throughout the years.

*In addition to swimming at the 2024 SAA-Houston open water swim in October, Rob McLaren completed the Lake Tahoe (12-mile width) open water swim.*

“One supporter said he would pay $1,000 for my final 12th mile of the Lake Tahoe swim,” said Rob. “That helped me be especially motivated to complete the swim to enforce his side of the deal!”

In addition to his fundraising efforts, Rob has accomplished the extraordinary feat of swimming in all 24 Swim Across America open water swims nationwide between 2021 and 2023, a testament to his dedication to the cause.

“We are excited this year to bring Swim Across America – Houston to Margaritaville Lake Conroe and continue raising crucial funds for cancer research at MD Anderson,” said Rob McLaren, who is also one of the co-event directors this year of the swim. “The passion and commitment of our swimmers, volunteers, and supporters truly make a difference in the lives of those impacted by cancer.”

Swim Across America – San Francisco Bay Open Water Swim Returns for Its 19th Year

Posted on September 6, 2024 Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, Events, Fundraising, Junior Advisory Board, Making Waves With Hope, san francisco, Top Fundraisers1 Comment

Local SF-Bay Area Teen and Marathon Swimmer Maya Merhige Joins Hundreds to Make Waves to Fight Cancer for the Swim’s Local Beneficiary UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals

The 19th annual Swim Across America – San Francisco Bay open water swim will take place on Saturday, October 5, 2024, with swimmers, Olympians, volunteers, and supporters all making waves in the fight against cancer. This year’s 1.5-mile point-to-point swim begins at Little Marina Green and finishes in Aquatic Park in San Francisco. The event is expected to raise close to $400,000 for innovative cancer research and patient care at Swim Across America – San Francisco Bay’s local beneficiaries UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, with proceeds supporting the Oakland Research Institute and the Survivors of Childhood Cancer Program at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco. To date, the swim has raised more than $5.5 million for UCSF. Swimmers and land and water volunteers can register at swimacrossamerica.org/sanfrancisco, as well as donate.

One of the standout participants in this year’s swim is 17-year-old Maya Merhige of Berkeley, California, who has participated in the Swim Across America – San Francisco Bay swim for the past nine years. Maya is also a marathon swimmer and recently became one of the youngest athletes in history to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming by successfully swimming the English Channel in July 2024.

*17-year-old marathon swimmer, Maya Merhige, recently completed the English Channel swim earning her to coveted Triple Crown.*

She joins an elite group of swimmers who have conquered the English Channel, Catalina Channel, and Manhattan 20 Bridges Swim. Maya’s accomplishments extend beyond the Triple Crown: she holds world records as the youngest woman to swim the Catalina Channel and all three major courses of Lake Tahoe, and she is the youngest person to complete the grueling 26-mile Kaiwi Molokai Channel between Molokai and Oahu in 27 hours and 33 minutes, joining the prestigious “24-Hour Club,” with one of the longest non-stop open water swims in history.

Maya’s inspiration to swim to make waves to fight cancer stems from first swimming for her family friend Susan Helmrich, a three-time cancer survivor who recently marked 47 years after being first diagnosed with cancer at the young age of 21. Susan, now 69 years-old, has swum in the Swim Across America – San Francisco Bay open water swim for 17 out of the 19 years and has raised more than a million dollars with her “Team Susan Survives!”

Maya has also faced health challenges of her own. In March 2023, after a ski crash, doctors discovered a benign tumor on her pancreas. Despite multiple surgeries, hospitalizations, and chronic pain, Maya continued to train and swim, demonstrating extraordinary resilience. Her own health battles have deepened her empathy for pediatric cancer patients and strengthened her commitment to raising funds for cancer research.

“I’d especially like to thank Dr. Julie Saba, director of the Swim Across America Research Lab at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, for her continued support throughout my own health challenges. For that, I am forever grateful and inspired to raise even more for Swim Across America and UCSF through my swimming,” noted Maya.

Maya also noted that she is grateful and excited to have completed the English Channel this year. “It’s been an honor to raise more than $120,000 to support UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, and I plan to continue raising awareness and funds for cancer research. Swimming has given me so much, and I want to give back in every way I can.”

In addition to her remarkable swimming feats, Maya serves as the president of the Swim Across America – San Francisco Junior Advisory Board, inspiring other young swimmers to join the cause. Her dedication, both in the water and in her leadership role, has been an inspiration to other teens and adults alike. This year, Maya will be swimming on October 5 with her team, “Chasing Channels,” alongside other Junior Advisory Board members. She also carries on a meaningful tradition of writing the names of friends and family battling cancer on her swim cap — a personal tribute that fuels her resolve.

“We are so proud of Maya’s passion and determination,” said Liz Tung, Maya’s mother. “Her commitment to Swim Across America and raising funds for cancer research is truly inspiring, and we’re excited to see her continue to make an impact.”

First-Ever Swim Across America – Louisville Family-Fun Pool Swim to Make Waves in the Fight Against Cancer

Posted on August 23, 2024 Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, event directors, Events, Fundraising, louisville, Messages of Hope, Pool Swims, Uncategorized1 Comment

Swimmers & Floaters Dive in on September 14, 2024, at Genesis Blairwood & Louisville Tennis Club to Raise Crucial Dollars for Cancer Research for University of Louisville Health Brown Cancer Center

Swim Across America, the national nonprofit dedicated to raising funds for crucial cancer research through swimming events, is excited to announce its inaugural Swim Across America – Louisville pool swim on Saturday, September 14, 2024. The event will be held at Genesis Blairwood & Louisville Tennis Club in Louisville. Participants will have the opportunity to swim either a ½ Mile, 1 Mile, or choose from fun races or float options with Olympic swimmer Clark Burkle, world champion Mallory Comerford, and baseball legend Bucky Dent. The swim distances are designed for all ages and skill levels and are fun for the whole family! Those interested in swimming, volunteering or donating to the cause can register at swimacrossamerica.org/louisville.

Some of the fun swim activities at the event include:

Race Olympian Clark Burkle and World Champion Mallory Comerford in a fun 25-yard pool float challenge.
Float with Bucky Dent, 1978 World Series MVP for the New York Yankees, in the deep end of the 25-yard pool (floats provided).
500-Yard Workout: Get a customized swim workout created by Olympic and National champion swimmers, tailored specifically for Swim Across America Louisville participants.
1 Mile Swim: Test your endurance in the 50-meter pool.
½ Mile Swim: A shorter, yet challenging swim option in the 50-meter pool.
SAA My Way (Virtual): Can’t make it in person? Join the swim virtually from anywhere.

The Swim Across America – Louisville event aims to raise $65,000 to benefit the University of Louisville Health Brown Cancer Center, a leading institution in cancer research.

Team Ballard Bruins, led by Swim Across America board member Pam Ryan, is currently leading the fundraising charge with an impressive $20,000 raised so far. Ryan, a Louisville native, is passionate about the cause, stating on her Swim Across America profile, “As Board Chair of Swim Across America, I am humbled and proud to be a part of this impactful organization. The funds we raise in each community stay local, and I am excited to be a part of the first swim in Louisville to benefit the Brown Cancer Center and UofL Health. I swim each year to honor and remember my friends who have battled and are battling cancer and to honor their loving families.”

Pam Ryan’s motivation is deeply personal, as she swims in memory and honor of friends and family who have faced cancer, including her mother, Aunt Susie, Fraser, Simon, Rick, Pete, Ben, Amy, and in memory of Irwin and Ady, as well as friends and fellow swimmers, Steve and Eddie.

Close behind in fundraising efforts is Team Dent, captained by Angie Dent, also a Louisville native who has formed her team with husband Bucky Dent, a former professional baseball player. Bucky Dent’s participation and passion for supporting cancer research is inspired by his late wife, who passed away from brain cancer in 2015.

Angie Dent shared, “Bucky and I joined Swim Across America as we both have had our own individual journey with cancer, and we wholeheartedly believe in the Swim Across America mission. We know firsthand the incredible impact of innovative research that leads to new treatments and therapies. We want to help give more families like our own the much-needed support, hope, and viable treatment options.”

Swim Across America – Rhode Island Open Water Swim celebrates 15 years of Making Waves to Fight Cancer

Posted on August 23, 2024 Posted in #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, event directors, rhode islandLeave a comment

800+ swimmers and volunteers come together for New England’s largest ocean swim event to support cancer research at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island

Swim Across America – Rhode Island is Making Waves to Fight Cancer by celebrating the 15th anniversary of its open water swim on Saturday, September 7, 2024, at Roger Wheeler State Beach, in the protective waters of the Point Judith Harbor of Refuge in scenic Narragansett, Rhode Island. This event is Swim Across America’s largest in the country, with more than 800 participants and three dozen fundraising teams — half from New England colleges — uniting to support promising cancer research at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island (WIH), the local event beneficiary.

There are four swim options: a one-mile or half-mile course for ages 13 and up (younger swimmers require approval), a quarter-mile course for ages 9 to 12, and a new Splash & Dash for ages 12 and under. Alternatively, you can support the event as a SAA My Way virtual participant or onsite volunteer. To register for the event in any of these capacities or to donate visit swimacrossamerica.org/rhodeisland.

In the past 15 years, Swim Across America – Rhode Island has raised more than $2.5 million for ovarian and breast cancer research. This funding has helped researchers at the WIH Program in Women’s Oncology Center for Biomarkers & Emerging Technology Program discover a biomarker for ovarian cancer and introduce to clinical practice an algorithm that estimates with specificity the risk of ovarian cancer in women with a pelvic mass. This test is now used worldwide and is a game changer for women with ovarian cancer, which is notoriously difficult to diagnose at an early stage when it is most treatable. This research has since expanded to study the function of the biomarker within cancer cells and the use of novel therapeutics that target the biomarker. Find more information here.

“Everyone who supports Swim Across America can be proud of the collective impact we’ve had on cancer research and treatment breakthroughs,” said Douglas Sayles, co-director of the Swim Across America – Rhode Island event. “Sadly, cancer touches everyone one way or another, but the research we fund and the sense of community we create through our events provide hope that real strides are being made toward new and better treatments. That’s the spirit of Swim Across America … there is hope.”

To register to swim or volunteer or to donate, visit swimacrossamerica.org/rhodeisland.

Cancer Survivor Kristin Lamson and her “Team Pisty” Makes Waves to Fight Cancer with Swim Across America – Seattle

Posted on August 23, 2024 Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, seattle1 Comment

On Saturday, September 7, hundreds of swimmers will Make Waves to Fight Cancer at the 16th annual Swim Across America – Seattle community swim. One of the swimmers diving in is 57-year-old Kristin Lamson of Olympia, Washington. Kristin is a breast cancer survivor and has been participating in the SAA – Seattle open water swim with her family and friends that make up “Team Pisty” for the past nine years.

“I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015,” noted Kristin. “I found Swim Across America in 2016, amidst multiple surgeries and treatment. I was a swimmer growing up and was looking to feel like myself. The Swim Across America – Seattle swim was a welcome reminder that my body could still do things and be strong. That first year, I was flanked by my older sister Jen and my younger brother Johnny. We didn’t know much about Swim Across America – but we were both blown away and inspired by the event and the other survivors/families/friends swimming and their personal stories. I was a puddle! But it felt good and it was fun, despite being pretty emotional.”

*Kristin Lamson, of Team Pisty, proudly shows off her “Survivor” tattoo at a Swim Across America – Seattle event.*

Kristin and her family were so energized by their first swim with SAA – Seattle that they returned the next year with a bigger perspective and bigger crew, including their younger sister Julie, and kids, nieces and nephews, spouses and friends.

“My sister and co-captain Julie has become a driving force for our team,” said Kristin. “She is our most successful fundraiser and travels all the way from Massachusetts every year to participate. As a person with developmental disabilities, her leadership and determination to conquer the challenges of open water swimming, along with her unwavering enthusiasm, are especially inspiring to all of us.”

*Team Pisty at the 2019 SAA-Seattle event.*

This year, Team Pisty is back with Kristin’s siblings, family and friends and will be swimming not only to celebrate Kristin’s survivorship, but also in honor of their cousin Nancy, who is currently battling cancer, and in memory of their cousin Cheryl, whom they lost to cancer in 2019.

Raising funds for cancer research is the primary goal of the swim. In its past 15 years, SAA – Seattle has raised more than $5 million for the swim’s local beneficiary, the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, which has gone directly to fund early stage research and clinical trials.

“Our small, but mighty team has raised close to $60,000 over the years,” exclaimed Kristin. “For me personally, paying it forward is my way of expressing gratitude to all those who came before me to raise money for research and treatments. I am a survivor because others stepped up.”

Kristin also noted that participating in the SAA – Seattle open water swim has given her family an opportunity to celebrate and honor many loved ones who have experienced the pain and loss of cancer. “We also have created some fun family traditions around the swim: a pasta feed the night before, bloodies on the beach, and a massive sleepover and food shindig at sister Jen’s (and husband Ric’s) house post-swim. We have had fish fries, seafood boils, taco nights and more! Having fun while doing good is a family thing!”

If you are moved to support Team Pisty, click here.

Swim Across America – Seattle is proud to note the recent accomplishments of two of their funded researchers. Fred Hutch Cancer Center and Kugel Lab postdoctoral fellow Stephanie Dobersch, PhD, received an American Cancer Society Fellowship to study a highly lethal form of pancreatic cancer, known as basal pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Dr. Dobersch’s two-year, $146,000 ACS Fellowship will enable her to understand how a unique genetic program drives basal PDA and discover the subtype’s potential therapeutic vulnerabilities. Dr. Emily Liang received the ASCO Young Investigator Award for her research on a therapy that tunes a patient’s own immune system to better fight cancer. A clinical trial is underway testing whether a medication used in rheumatoid arthritis can reduce the inflammation of CAR T-cell therapy. Dr. Liang will use her one-year, $50,000 to fund experiments on samples from blood and lymph node tumors collected during the clinical trial.

SWIM ACROSS AMERICA – NASSAU/SUFFOLK IN THE NEWS

Posted on August 6, 2024 Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, Events, Family Tree, Fundraising, Labs, Nassau/Suffolk - Sound to Cove, News, olympians, UncategorizedTagged cancer, media, News, olympians, swim across america, televisionLeave a comment

Read or watch local stories featuring the Swim Across America-Nassau/Suffolk community to learn about their impact. Learn more about the event and beneficiaries at swimacrossamerica.org/ns.

SWIM ACROSS AMERICA BLOG – SAASWIM.COM

THE 24TH ANNUAL SWIM ACROSS AMERICA – NASSAU/SUFFOLK OPEN WATER SWIM WILL MAKE WAVES TO FIGHT CANCER ON AUGUST 3

LI Herald – Lynbrook

Swim Across America comes to Lynbrook again and raises money for cancer research

SWIM ACROSS AMERICA – LONG ISLAND SOUND IN THE NEWS

Posted on July 30, 2024August 26, 2024 Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, event directors, Events, Fundraising, Long Island Sound, Making Waves With Hope, Messages of Hope, News, Pool Swims, Top Fundraisers, UncategorizedTagged cancer, cancer research, media, News, swim across america, televisionLeave a comment

Read or watch local stories featuring the Swim Across America-Long Island Sound community to learn about their impact. Learn more about the event and beneficiaries, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Columbia University Cancer Center, Cancer Support Team and Weill Cornell Medical Center, at swimacrossamerica.org/long_island.