Presenting the 2025 Impact Report for Swim Across America.
We are proud to present our 2025 impact report, a high-level overview of Swim Across America, its communities, events, and beneficiary programs. The generosity, dedication, and support from events in 2025 strengthen our commitment to awarding grants to innovative cancer research, clinical trials, detection, and patient programs through charity swims that unite communities in the fight against cancer.
A letter from Rob Butcher, the CEO of Swim Across America:
Dear Swim Across America Community,
We began with a simple yet bold belief, that a community united in purpose can turn hope into action by innovating new cancer treatments and improving quality of life. Because of you, that belief is becoming a reality.
Coast-to-coast and all year long, survivors, advocates, and partners raised critical funds that directly support innovative research, advance detection, and improved patient programs. Every dollar granted is action towards breakthroughs and support for families navigating the unimaginable. We are unique that the funds raised in each community stay local, strengthening relationships with academic and community partners, and ensuring donors know the impact of their generosity.
We celebrate progress because families continue to hear the words, “You have cancer” and deserve to hear, “There is Hope.” We are committed to sharing our impact and inspiring generations to Make Waves to Fight Cancer with Swim Across America.
Berger-Bordeau Swims in Honor of her Father and Aunt Lost to Cancer
Florence Berger-Bordeau of New Rochelle, New York, has been swimming her entire life. An avid athlete, who as a child enjoyed swimming, tennis, skiing and track, Florence lost part of her right leg below the knee to a traumatic accident at age 14 while living in France. After the accident Florence thought she would never be able to swim or run again. Enduring some challenging years after the accident, she tried swimming again and she was so glad she was wrong! Swimming as an amputee felt amazing and therapeutic. It also helped Florence regain her confidence in herself.
Florence Berger-Bordeau
Fast forward to today and Florence, for her seventh year, will join more than 800 swimmers, volunteers and supporters on Saturday, July 26, at the 33rd annual Swim Across America – Long Island Sound open water swim, held in Larchmont, New York. Florence will be swimming the 2K course to make waves to fight cancer in honor of her father Jean-Paul Bordeau, and aunt Marie-Jeanne Lagadec, both of whom she lost to cancer – her Dad from sarcoma at just 34 years old when Florence was only three, and her aunt four years ago from breast cancer.
“I unfortunately only have vague memories of my father. It was so hard growing up without him,” noted Florence. “I was only three years old when he passed away. He was so brave and cared so much for me and my mom. My aunt passed away just four years ago from breast cancer. She meant a lot to me and was an incredible person. When I swim with Swim Across America, I think about my dad and my aunt and how much I miss them.”
The annual Swim Across America – Long Island Sound open water swim, which starts at the Larchmont Yacht Club and finishes at the Larchmont Shore Club, is Swim Across America’s largest open water event nationwide. The event features 2K, 5K and 10K swim distances, as well as a same-day ½-mile pool swim – and seven other pool swims throughout the summer. The swim has raised nearly $30 million since its inception in 1992 for its local beneficiaries Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, Columbia University Cancer Center and the Cancer Support Team.
Florence at the finish line of the San Diego Challenged Athletes Foundation Triathlon
“Adaptive sports have helped me tremendously recover from my accident,” said Florence. “Besides swimming, I love biking, skiing, surfing and tennis. I believe in never giving up when facing adversity. I’m very lucky to have the best mom, a wonderful family and amazing friends who really support me, including my company Sompo International who has matched the funds I’ve raised and been so supportive. I also think we should be grateful every day when we are healthy, as it is so important! I get very emotional before each swim when I hear about cancer survivors and the cancer research the swim is supporting. It is so inspiring. I also feel a deep sense of community. I could not do these swims without my swim angel Kathy Salvo and my swim coach and friend Delphine Golebiowski. I’m grateful for their support and their journey with me as we try to raise as much for cancer research through swimming as we can.”
Florence started swimming with Swim Across America – Long Island Sound in 2019. Since then, she has completed eight Swim Across America events, six previous Long Island Sound swims and two of the Fairfield County swims. Last year she also accomplished a dream of hers – participating in a triathlon!
“My dream came true when I participated in the Sleepy Hollow Triathlon and the San Diego Challenged Athletes Foundation Triathlon. When I crossed the finish line of the San Diego CAF Triathlon, I was crying as I thought that this day would never come. I knew my dad was watching me from heaven. Swim Across America helped me get ready for these triathlons – all while raising money for cancer research.”
Florence has completed eight Swim Across America events, including SAA-Fairfield County in 2025.
To date, Florence has raised more than $5000 for cancer research through Swim Across America.
Now in its 33rd year, Swim Across America – Long Island Sound has been a major funder of crucial cancer research that has brought forward successful new treatments, including the FDA approved immunotherapy treatments of Keytruda, Opdivo, Tecentriq and Yervoy. What’s more is the money raised locally stays local, providing cancer care and research grants to The Cancer Support Team, a Westchester-based home care program offering free services to patients and their families; to New York Presbyterian Children’s Hospital Pediatric Oncology Lab; to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Research Laboratories of Dr. Diaz and Dr. Kung Kids Department of Pediatrics; and to Weill Cornell MedicineResearch Laboratory of Dr. Wolchok and Dr. Merghoub.
Nationally, Swim Across America has generated more than $100 million for cancer research since its founding 1987, supporting more than 60 research projects each year To support Florence Berger-Bordeau or any of the other hundreds of swimmers at this year’s July 26th Swim Across America – Long Island Sound swim, visit swimacrossamerica.org/longislandsound to make a donation or to sign up to swim or volunteer.
Read or watch local stories featuring the Swim Across America – Fairfield County community to learn about their impact. Learn more about the event and beneficiary, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, at swimacrossamerica.org/fc.
Shep Jennings is proving that even the youngest swimmers can Make Waves to Fight Cancer! The Darien, Connecticut resident will swim at the 2025 Swim Across America – Fairfield County open water swim on June 21.
Shep Jennings
Shep, who swims year-round with the Darien YMCA Piranhas and in summer with Shorehaven Golf Club, first dove into the charity swim event last year when his swim buddy Jedd Gallagher asked Shep to join the Blue Wave Swim Team, which was participating in the annual Swim Across America – Fairfield County open water swim. The Blue Wave Swim Team was coached by longtime Swim Across America supporter Marj Trifone.
Last summer was the start of a fulfilling experience for Shep, who raised more than $2,000 for the nonprofit in 2024. Seeing his name on the leaderboard last year was inspiring to know he was making a difference.
“I love seeing my name climb the leaderboard, because every dollar means scientists get closer to cures,” said Shep.
The Jennings family
Inspired by watching his parents raise money for ALS research after his grandmother was impacted by the disease, Shep already had the know-how of fundraising down. For Swim Across America, he began emailing friends and family and even going door-to-door in his neighborhood to collect pledges.
Shep, who will turn 12 in September and enter Middlesex Middle School in the fall, acknowledges his favorite summer sports are all about water: swimming, water polo and water-skiing on summer weekends, in the winter, he swaps liquid water for frozen water with snow-skiing. At home he shares the spotlight with his nine-year-old sister, Emmaline, and the family’s golden retriever, Rosie. With just a few weeks left until the big SAA – Fairfield County open water swim, Shep isn’t easing up on his fundraising pace.
Shep, far right, and a few of his teammates
“I’m still reaching out,” he said. “I want my total and the funds for cancer-fighting research to keep growing.” To date, Shep is the number one individual fundraiser already raising $6,080.
Revolutionary CRISPR Gene Editing and Other Cell and Gene Therapy Editing Takes Center Stage in Finding Ways to Effectively Treat Cancer
Swim Across America, the nonprofit funding innovative clinical trials and patient-centered programs for cancer,is proud to announce the award of two $450,000 grants to two of its beneficiaries, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy(ACGT) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to support the work of novel gene and base editing techniques used in advanced cancer research, including targeted therapies, immunotherapies and cellular therapies. The two-year grants will specifically support the work of scientific investigators Joseph Fraietta, PhD, at the University of Pennsylvania through ACGT, and Pietro Genovese, PhD, at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, for their work in groundbreaking cell and gene therapy cancer research. This financial support paves the way for more effective therapies across many cancer types including solid tumors, offering potential new hope for patients with hard to treat cancer types or limited treatment options.
“Gene editing, including CRISPR, are some of the most promising frontiers in cancer research allowing for advances in targeted therapies, immunotherapies, CAR-T cell therapy and early/minimal residual disease detection, diagnostics and cancer vaccines,” said Rob Butcher, CEO of Swim Across America. “These grants to Dr. Fraietta through ACGT, and Dr. Genovese at Dana-Farber, will help accelerate the advancement of potential gene-edited cancer treatments that could transform how we treat patients and their quality of life. Just as our previous funding has helped develop immunotherapy treatments that are saving lives today, we believe these pointed investments will help accelerate the next generation of cancer breakthroughs.”
Joseph Fraietta, PhD
Joseph Fraietta, PhD, through Swim Across America–Fairfield County beneficiary Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, is developing an innovative “off-the-shelf” cell therapy for aggressive cancers. His research uses a precise gene-editing tool called a “base editor” to create more effective CAR T cells that can target cancers with KRAS mutations, found in 20-25% of all cancers including lung, colon and pancreatic cancer. His team is also developing “micropharmacies” – immune cells engineered to release powerful cancer-fighting signals directly at tumor sites while minimizing side effects.
Pietro Genovese, PhD
Pietro Genovese, PhD, at Dana-Farber, is taking a revolutionary approach to treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Rather than targeting cancer cells directly, his team is creating “stealth” healthy blood cells engineered to survive cancer treatments while allowing the selective elimination of cancer cells. This innovative strategy could provide less toxic treatment options for AML and other blood cancers where traditional therapies often harm healthy cells along with cancerous ones.
“With the current funding landscape and resources potentially constrained, nonprofit organizations play a vital role in ensuring innovative cancer research moves forward,” said Evan Vosburgh, MD, Research and Grants committee chair for Swim Across America. “These targeted grants support precisely the kind of high-risk, high-reward research that could revolutionize cancer treatment, but might otherwise go unfunded. By supporting early-stage research in cell and gene therapy, we’re helping bridge critical funding gaps and accelerating the development of potentially life-saving treatments.”
Swim Across America has raised more than $100 million for cancer research since its founding in 1987 and has a strong track record of funding transformative research, including clinical trials that led to FDA-approved immunotherapy medicines Keytruda, Opdivo, Yervoy and Tecentriq. The organization was also a grant funder of Memorial Sloan Kettering’s landmark clinical trial that achieved a 100% success rate treating advanced rectal cancer patients with dostarlimab.
About Swim Across America Swim Across America hosts open water and pool swims in numerous communities nationwide, from Nantucket to under San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. More than 150 Olympians support the organization, including Michael Phelps, Kate Douglass, Missy Franklin and Ryan Lochte. The organization supports more than 60 cancer research projects annually and has ten named Swim Across America Labs at major institutions nationwide. To learn more visit swimacrossamerica.org or follow on social media @SwimAcrossAmerica on Facebook and @SAASwim on Instagram.
Read or watch local stories featuring the Swim Across America – Fairfield County community to learn about their impact. Learn more about the event and beneficiary, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, at swimacrossamerica.org/fc.
For many years, Nancy Carr has supported friends and family who have been touched by cancer by joining them at the annual Swim Across America – Fairfield County swim.
Nancy first served as a volunteer, then stepped up in 2019 to be co-event director, and now event director.
Nancy is known for her big smile, boundless energy, genuine positive attitude, and ability to bring the community together. She has also been instrumental in bringing in additional support for the swim’s fundraising efforts.
This year’s swim has become extra meaningful and more personal for Nancy, who recently received her own cancer diagnosis.
“I was diagnosed in the last month with two completely unrelated G.I. (gastrointestinal) cancers. That is some sh*tty news,” said Nancy.
Nancy Carr, event director of Swim Across America – Fairfield County, now has a personal connection to our mission.
“When you think of me, I want you to picture G.I. Jane, the head-shaven badass who is stronger than most give her credit for, who will never give up. Ever. I don’t know if I’m going to lose my hair, but I do know I’m going to have to be strong. And I am so very lucky to have an army of supporters. I am not facing this alone. Together, we’re going to kick cancer’s a**!”
Nancy Carr and her son, Danny.
Nancy also noted that with her diagnosis she also got some good news.
“I’m choosing to feel lucky in an unlucky situation. My doctors are using the word ‘cure’ when discussing my treatments. Cure is a powerful, motivating word. It’s why I joined Swim Across America years ago and why I continue to lead Swim Across America – Fairfield County.”
Nancy is known for saying, “You don’t have to be a swimmer to make an impact.” This holds true even more this year as she will be undergoing treatment for two types of gastrointestinal cancer and leading her “Team G.I. Nancy” while still heading up the swim on June 29.
“I hope that you will join me and the hundreds of other swimmers, boaters, kayakers, paddle boarders and land volunteers on June 29th who are diving in to make waves to fight cancer.”
Read or watch local stories featuring the Swim Across America-Fairfield County community to learn about their impact. Learn more about the event and beneficiary, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, at swimacrossamerica.org/fc.
Swim Across America 