Swim Across America was excited to participate in the National Coalition of Associations of 7-Eleven Franchisees (NCASEF) Convention in Las Vegas. See if you can spot Olympic gold medalist Tyler Clary representing SAA at the golf tournament.
Day 2 of the NCASEF Convention in Las Vegas had the Swim Across America team and Olympic Gold Medalist Tyler Clary representing the great partnership that SAA has with the National Coalition of Associations of 7-Eleven Franchisees.
The convention concluded with a banquet that included a speech by SAA’s Rob Butcher on the impact of the partnership we have with NCASEF in the fight against cancer.
SAA Family Tree is a monthly focus on stories that display the impact all the members of the Swim Across America family have both locally and nationally. If you have a story or link you’d like to share, please send here.
Olympians Kristy Kowal and Heather Petri are mentioned in the same breath as Taylor Swift in this Boston Herald wrap-up.
SAA – Atlanta’s Event Director Megan Melgaard and Olympian Doug Gjertsenstopped by CBS46 to get everyone to Lake Lanier Islands on Sept. 17.
Brian Boyle writes #WhyISwim for the Huffington Post – look for Brian at SAA -Baltimore.
SAA – Atlanta’s Sheri Hart makes waves in Simply Buckhead magazine.
In Pool Swims Across America, we feature local pool swims that raise awareness for cancer research. If you’re interested in getting your local swim team or pool involved, learn more here.
July 10: Mudpuppies Swim Across America Memorial Event for Dr. Brian Goldman
Thank you to our Olympians, National Team alums, Masters swimmers and host Mary DeMilia for the Mudpuppies pool clinic to Fight Cancer — it raised $6,600 in honor of Dr. Brian Goldman, who founded the Mudpuppies.
July 13: Heather Stark’s B’nai Mitzvah Cancer Defeat
Shoutout to Heather for hosting a SAA pool swim as her B’nai Mitzvah project in Ivyland, PA – great job, Heather!
In 2016, Westchester Masters teammates Dan Levy and Carrie Dillon completed the mile swim at all eight of the Westchester and Rockland County pool events supporting Swim Across America – Long Island Sound. Levy is also a big part of the Chappaqua Swim & Tennis Club pool swim, where he’s been the swim coach since 1998.
Levy made all eight events in honor of his sister, Karen, who passed away after a long battle with colon cancer in 2008.
Dillon was able to swim in seven of the events with Levy, in honor her dear friend Joe Arena, who passed away in 2016 from brain cancer.
The duo also supports Ed Hickey, who continues his daily mile swims from July 11th to September 11th in memory of his son. Hickey has reached 64% of his goal. If you’d like to support his swims, you can still do so on his Swim Across America page.
We are Swimmers, we are Friends, we are Families…We are TEAM HOPE.
TEAM HOPE in 2004 at North Hempstead CC
WE ARE SWIMMERS…
Mike Ford was your typical Swim Across America participant in 2000, when he swam with his daughter Keira in the Long Island Sound event as part of Team Doyle to support a family friend dealing with cancer.
After participating a few years in both the Long Island Sound and Sound to Cove swims, in 2004 Ford’s mission changed when three close friends were stricken with cancer. He was inspired to do more and created TEAM HOPE.
Nothing about Mike Ford’s Swim Across America story has been typical since then. Ford has kept the TEAM HOPE’s singular mission of fighting cancer focused and organized through the peaks and valleys over the last 13 years, and there have been plenty of both. TEAM HOPE has persevered to recruit and fundraise in larger numbers and will celebrate hitting the $1 million milestone as a team at the Sound to Cove benefit swim this week.
WE ARE FRIENDS…
The original core of TEAM HOPE members were North Hempstead Country Club members and staff, originally made up of 28 swimmers plus kayakers and volunteers. With North Hempstead as their unofficial home, they participated in the NCAC pool swim and the Sound to Cove open water swim and raised $30,000.
Over the years, some traditions have emerged that make TEAM HOPE special: the annual dedication board with its inspirational messages, the plaque that goes to the outstanding team member annually and of course, the large amounts of pasta that have evolved into club-wide barbecues.
In 2014, the ‘unofficial home’ of TEAM HOPE, North Hempstead Country Club, officially became the third swim to become a part of the family. Now TEAM HOPE participates in three swims annually and is fundraising more than ever.
As TEAM HOPE has grown, Ford has been inspired by the hundreds of swimmers, the generosity of thousands of donors and the countless hours given by the volunteers.
Ford is quick to point out TEAM HOPE wouldn’t be where it is today without the dedication of Laureen Keenan. He credits Keenan for assisting him tirelessly over the years, helping him stay organized with all volunteers and ultimately taking TEAM HOPE to greater heights.
(l-r) Marty Bergin, Laureen Keenan, Dr. Marc Symons, Mike Ford
WE ARE FAMILY…
TEAM HOPE emphasizes family participation. This year, of the 92 team swimmers, 59 are participating with another family member. Ford is particularly proud of the year that three generations of swimmers from one family swam together. TEAM HOPE is family.
In fall 2005, Ford was sadly struck by a cruel irony when his wife Patti was diagnosed with cancer. The fight against cancer became very personal. Over the ensuing decade, Ford continued pushing TEAM HOPE forward as Patti faced her own struggle against cancer until her heartbreaking passing this year. The $1 million milestone is more than just a number for Mike, his daughter Keira and TEAM HOPE.
TEAM HOPE in 2016
WE ARE TEAM HOPE…
As can be imagined, the $1 million fundraising milestone hasn’t been accomplished without many poignant moments. Ford continues to swim with TEAM HOPE and has adopted the custom of inscribing his swim cap with those he swims for.
Despite the bittersweet start to the year, there are signs that HOPE springs eternal. The timing of the $1 million milestone serendipitously occurs during North Hempstead Country Club’s centennial celebration. The breakthroughs in immunotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering (a TEAM HOPE beneficiary) are making national news. It’s easy to see how Ford easily finds inspiration by those that have surrounded TEAM HOPE:
His friend that courageously battled cancer and returned to swim with TEAM HOPE and regards the annual swim as his “most important day of the summer”
Father Rich Henning, the “Paddling Padre” that penned the TEAM HOPE Prayer and kayaked for a number of years
The 8-year-old that asked in lieu of gifts and presents for his birthday and his First Communion, that donations be made to TEAM HOPE and raised over $850 that year
The lifeguard that participated in two NHCC pool swims and was proud to tell Ford she has an internship in Oncology as she finishes her nursing school degree
As TEAM HOPE gets to over 90 members this year and hits the million dollar mark, we appreciate and recognize the commitment to the cause by Mike Ford and his incredible team. There are a million reasons to believe that this is only the beginning.
If you are moved to help Mike Ford and TEAM HOPE reach $1 million raised this year, you can contribute here.
The Long Island Sound Pool Swims are a huge part of the success of SAA – Long Island Sound! We want to give thanks and recognition to the hundreds of swimmers, volunteers and donors that make all these incredible benefit pool swims happen. Get all the Swim Across America news on the Sound as it hits at the SAA – LIS Facebook page.
Sarah Cohen participated for the first time and in her own words:
I swam for my first time this year with SAA in the Lake Isle pool swim. I swam to support my mom who was diagnosed in April with metastatic melanoma. My partner, best friend and I made this video for her, and all the people who donated, of the swim … SAA has brought me some relief- a place to put my energy and focus. A way to channel all the chaos that cancer causes in a family members life- and funnel it into something good and honorable. My mom was in the hospital most of the summer, including the day of the swim- but she is home now- still battling. I hope this video can bring strength and hope.
Your donations allow SAA to provide funding to some of the world’s most renowned cancer institutions. This is the third in a series featuring the SAA LABS that our beneficiaries have named in honor of the efforts of Swim Across America.
This month, we are profiling the Swim Across America Laboratory for Cancer Research at Rush University Medical Center. This lab, and a Patient Procedure Suite, were named for SAA in 2015 after more than $1 million was raised by SAA since 2011.
Each year, Rush University Medical Center runs an internal, peer-reviewed process to distribute the funds from SAA – Chicago. Rush researchers submitted more than 20 proposals for consideration for the proceeds from last year’s Chicago events, which included the open water swim at Ohio Street Beach and the 2nd Swim Across Lake Michigan. Four research projects will be funded from 2015 and the awards have been made to support projects focused on a variety of treatment disciplines that impact patients with breast, colon, liver, and lung cancers, among others.
Kevin Gray, Director of Development at Rush University Medical Center was kind enough to answer some of our questions.
Can you shed some light on the cancer research being done in the SAA lab??
The cancer research being done with SAA funds varies from breast, gastro, lung and other. Dr. Jeff Borgia’s lab, which was named the Swim Across America Laboratory for Cancer Research, focuses on two areas: 1) Identifying a genetic marker within specific proteins that determine a person’s likelihood that they have or could develop lung cancer. And 2) fine-tuning a blood test – finger prick – that could be used in all primary care offices, but specifically in underserved communities and areas with high incidence of lung disease.
Dr. Borgia leading a team of SAA staff, swimmers and committee members on a tour of the SAA Laboratory for Cancer Research
What kind of grants have been acquired through the research?
There have been more than two dozen grants from various sources that continue to help all investigators during the timeframe of the SAA relationship. Most notable, two investigators, Drs. Carl Maki and Amanda Marzo, have leveraged SAA dollars to garner NIH funding. Dr. Marzo received $425,000 earlier this month and Dr. Maki received $375,000 last year.
What exciting plans does Rush have for 2016 and beyond?
The most exciting plans are technology and equipment investment. A computer-based initiative called bioinformatics and a biorepository will take Rush to the next level in terms of productivity and competitiveness. Bioinformatics is the ability, through extremely fast computers, to process an enormous amount of data in an extremely short time. Information that used to take weeks now can be processed in days or hours. It will be paired with the biorepository, which is housed in the SAA lab, which can process and store large amounts of tissue or blood samples for study. This enables the investigators to work faster and more efficiently, revealing new answers and results that potentially lead to a treatment or cure.
What does the lab mean to Rush?
It means a myriad of things: 1) It enables Rush to conduct meaningful research with an almost instant impact on patients. 2) It attracts the best and the brightest to Rush as the institution is tackling cutting-edge work. 3) It makes Rush a stronger academic institution as tomorrow’s doctors, nurses and other medical professionals get to work side-by-side with the best And 4) It puts Rush and those with SAA backing in a position to find the best solutions for new treatments and possibly a cure.
Members of the Swim Across America family are active in their communities. SAA on the Scene shares stories from the “dry side” of our events where the SAA mission to make waves to defeat cancer is honored and recognized. Feel free to send submissions for future posts here.
Gerry Oakes Swim Across America Lifetime Achievement Award celebration
May 26th
Thank you to Gerry Oakes for nearly 20 years of service. It is our privilege to recognize you with a Lifetime Achievement Award!
Craig Beardsley, Gerry Oakes, Matt Vossler
Gerry Oakes, Matt Vossler
Pam Danbusky reading a letter from Janel Jorgensen McArdle
Nantucket Day Celebration
Rose & Crown, Nantucket, May 11th
In the annual Nantucket Day celebration, the event committee was able to get 25 sign-ups at the event and had some good social media buzz going in the community.
L-R: Jim Pignato (Co-Event Director), Stacey Williams (SAA-Nantucket Volunteer), Jill Roethke (Co-Event Director), Kate Bartleman (Nantucket Cottage Hospital), Kristen Dussault (SAA-Nantucket Committee Member), Charlene Thurston (PASCON), Beth Moyer (Nantucket Cottage Hospital) and Ginnia Faria (PASCON).
Swim Across America Visit to beneficiary Moffitt Cancer Center
Tampa, May 2oth
Rob Butcher, Amy Krakauer, Angie Lankton and family, Dr. Shari Pilon-Thomas, Megan Melgaard, Michael Jorgensen, Ryan Baucom, Eric Wunderlich, Javed Saleemi and Craig Cordell.
San Diego 7-Eleven FOA Golf Tournament
Tampa, May 12th
Mark Gramlich, Susan Davis, Olympian Andrea Dickson, Olympian Ryan Berube, Diana Thomas, Falon Lesczcynski
Your donations allow SAA to provide funding to some of the world’s most renowned cancer institutions. This is the second in a series featuring the SAA LABS that our beneficiaries have named in honor of the efforts of Swim Across America.
This month, we are profiling the Swim Across America Innovative Clinical Trials Center (ICTC) at Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Dallas. The trials center was named for SAA in 2013 and features some treatments that can’t be found anywhere else in the country. Dr. Alan M. Miller, MD, PhD and Director of the Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center and Carlos Becerra, MD were kind enough to answer some of our questions.
What does the ICTC mean to the doctors and patients that use it?
The Swim Across America Innovative Clinical Trials Center (ICTC) at Baylor University Medical Center is a clinical facility where patients come to receive treatments that are available at only a few specialized centers in the country or may only be available at the ICTC.
These trials provide options for patients whose cancer has resisted standard therapies. Many fall into the category, Phase 1 trials. These require a specialized staff with experience in treating patients with new therapies.
What kind of cancer research is being done in the ICTC?
In the past few years, the physicians and staff of the Swim Across America ICTC have participated in some of the most exciting studies using precision medicine and immunotherapy. Precision medicine involves analyzing the genes of the cancer and applying drugs that specifically target abnormalities in the cancer cells that are not in the individuals’ normal tissue. Immunotherapy harnesses the body’s own immune system to help attack the cancer.
What plans are in store for 2016 and beyond?
An exciting trial starting in 2016 involves the use of a dendritic cell vaccine to treat pancreatic cancer. Dendritic cells are cells of the immune system that identify abnormal cells like a bacteria or a cancer cell and then call in other components of the immune system to attack the invader. This dendritic cell vaccine was developed in the laboratory of the Baylor Institute for Immunology Research and is only available at the ICTC.
“Thanks to the funding from Swim Across America we have been able to explore new and very encouraging therapeutic targets for otherwise deadly diseases such as pancreatic cancer or refractory colon cancer and have been able to provide patients with novel therapies that would not otherwise be possible. We have taken discoveries from the lab of our scientists and tested the concept in the clinic thanks to the support of SAA, an example of translational work done within the walls of Baylor University Medical Center.” – Carlos Becerra, MD
For further information about the Swim Across America ICTC, please view the following video (the ICTC is featured at 3:38) or see more info on all the studies to the trials currently going on here.
This month, we are profiling the Swim Across America Innovative Clinical Trials Center (ICTC) at Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Dallas. The trials center was named for SAA in 2013 and features some treatments that can’t be found anywhere else in the country. Dr. Alan M. Miller, MD, PhD and Director of the Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center and Carlos Becerra, MD were kind enough to answer some of our questions. 
Swim Across America 