“I’m incredibly proud to have played a role in helping the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy-funded researchers who have made tremendous advances in the development of cell and gene therapies across multiple cancer types over the past decade, and I will continue to swim and support their efforts until cancer becomes a disease of the past.”

Craig Lawrence has been part of the Swim Across America – Fairfield County family from the very beginning. In fact, he swam in the inaugural charity swim and every swim since. Craig swims in honor of his sister, Kimberly Lawrence Netter, who unfortunately lost her battle with breast cancer in 2001 at the age of 44. The loss was devastating for Craig and his family and was the inspiration for Edward and Barbara Netter, Kim’s mother and father-in-law, to found Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT), the beneficiary of the funds raised by Swim Across America Fairfield County.

“When Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy and Swim Across America partnered in 2007, I was an avid swimmer and triathlete and knew that I had to get involved. It was just something very personal that I could do to express the love and support that my sister had always shown to me, but I also knew that the collaboration would produce great results in the battle against cancer”

Unfortunately, Craig’s family has had numerous other cancer diagnoses that continue to push him to participate – his father Richard Lawrence, Kim’s father-in-law Edward Netter, cousin Diane Darst and uncle Bob Wassman, have all bravely fought and lost their lives to cancer. For the past 15 years, Craig has gotten into the water and swam three miles to honor their memory and help fund the development of new, innovative cancer treatments, raising over $25,000. In 2021, Craig was joined by his 13 year-old son Graham and the two together made waves to fight cancer.

“I’m incredibly proud to have played a role in helping the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy-funded researchers who have made tremendous advances in the development of cell and gene therapies across multiple cancer types over the past decade, and I will continue to swim and support their efforts until cancer becomes a disease of the past.”

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.

“Our goal for the Charleston- Kiawah swim is to continue to fund the projects at Hollings that are truly making the impossible possible and be able to fund more than one researcher each year.”

Brad Johnson and Jana Chanthabane didn’t know each other until they met and joined the Swim Across America community in 2018 when the inaugural SAA-Charleston-Kiawah swim took place. What brought them to join the organization was so much deeper than the location. Both Brad and Jana are cancer survivors. Since getting involved with the event and becoming co-event directors, the two have made an incredible impact in the fight against cancer in Charleston-Kiawah. The swim under their leadership has raised over $200,000 in 5 years to support Hollings Cancer Center.

Jana was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 35. She was a young, fit, active mom of three kids under the age of 9 at the time. Her dad had thyroid cancer when she was a teenager and her cousin had just completed her treatment for breast cancer when she was diagnosed so she was not “new” to cancer. “I remember being struck with the feeling of needing to do SOMETHING to help- my girls for the future, my family, other women that I love.”

Brad’s diagnosis came at the young age of 27. He was diagnosed with late-stage head and neck cancer in 2003. He was able to find a clinical trial at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute that was investigating new treatment protocols for these rare, super aggressive head and neck cancers that were starting to appear in young people with no directly related risk factors.  Dana-Farber changed the game for his type of cancer.  Prior to their clinical trial, there were no effective treatment protocols. “Since treatments, raising funds for cancer research and patient support have been a big part of my life.”

The two have spent the last five years preaching the mission of Swim Across America and making an impact in cancer research, something that they have seen the direct impact from going through it themselves. 

“Our goal for the Charleston- Kiawah swim is to continue to fund the projects at Hollings that are truly making the impossible possible and be able to fund more than one researcher each year.”

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.

“The courage, tenacity and fun loving spirit I see in these people makes me want to never stop!”

Robert McLaren first got involved with Swim Across America in San Francisco in 2009 as a way to honor many who have battled cancer and to do his part to “Make Cancer History.” After moving to Houston, he has since participated in seven different Swim Across America open water swims, from 2009 to 2021, and raised more than $107,000 to support cancer research and clinical trials. Robert’s father was sadly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2005 at the age 80 but was successfully treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center. MD Anderson later treated his Dad for lymphoma and prostate cancer. 

“I’m grateful for the incredible care given by MD Anderson to my dad, which provided him and our family with another 14 years of high quality life,” says Robert McLaren. Robert continues to be inspired by other cancer survivors in the Swim Across America community like Susan Helmrich, Vicki Bunke and Adam Schoen, who have also swam “Across America” with swims in multiple communities. 

“The courage, tenacity and fun loving spirit I see in these people makes me want to never stop!” said Robert. 

Robert takes the Swim Across America name very seriously and has committed to participating in every SAA event across America! So far he has completed eight events in eight cities, seven of those being in 2021, and he will participate in nine open water swims this year! He hopes to complete his challenge and “Swim Across America” in three years. He is truly making an impact.

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.

“We are so proud of all Wyatt is doing to help make waves and fight cancer,” said his Mom Michelle. “Wyatt swims in honor of me – I’m a cancer thriver – and for family and friends who have lost their battle or are fighting now.” 

Wyatt Deaton was only seven years old when his Mom Michelle was diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of breast cancer called secretory carcinoma (which actually used to be called Juvenile Carcinoma because average age this type of cancer was found was in nine year olds). But Michelle was 45 years old when diagnosed.

“‘You have CANCER’ are three words you never want to hear,” said Michelle Deaton. “And to have to tell your seven year old son that, is especially hard. Wyatt was so young, but he immediately starting thinking about what he could do to help me get better. Raising money for Swim Across America and for pediatric cancer research was the challenge he was looking for — and needed at that moment.”

Wyatt signed up to swim in the Swim Across America Tampa open water swim with Team Tampa Elite Aquatic Manta Rays, and has been swimming with them for the past three years. In addition to swimming and raising money for cancer, Wyatt is a straight A student. This year, at age 11, Wyatt has challenged himself to swim a mile in the open ocean and raise at least $2,000 (which he reached his fundraising goal at the beginning of March 2022!) He swam 1/2-mile in 2021 raising $1,500.

“We are so proud of all Wyatt is doing to help make waves and fight cancer,” said his Mom Michelle. “Wyatt swims in honor of me – I’m a cancer thriver – and for family and friends who have lost their battle or are fighting now.” 

Michelle is currently in remission and has been cancer free for three years.

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.

Presented by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Swim Across America-Long Island Sound and Swim Across America-Nassau/Suffolk

A special thank you to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), Swim Across America-Nassau/Suffolk and Swim Across America-Long Island Sound for hosting the Swim Across America community in a vibrant panel discussion amongst the young investigators whose groundbreaking research is funded by SAA grants. 

Please find the full video recording here: https://vimeo.com/697137232.

Presented by Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy

Thank you to SAA-Fairfield County and Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) for hosting Cancer Conversation on Breakthroughs in Immunotherapy with ACGT research fellows funded by Swim Across America – Fairfield County, Dr. Crystal Mackall of Stanford University, and Dr. Brian Brown of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. They are both cancer scientist rockstars in their field.

Please find the recorded video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctv0hc0jKsE

“There is HOPE” – that’s what every patient should hear after the words “you have cancer…”

Thank you for your contributions to Swim Across America – because of you, patients and their families do have hope. For 2022, we have granted $5.8M to more than fifty research, clinical trial, and patient programs. You can learn more about our grant programs here.

The story below is one of the many that captures the impact of Swim Across America, and how your donations provide hope.

Rick Osterberg and his wife Jessica Stokes, joined Swim Across America – Boston in 2009. In 2018, Rick was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. After a very difficult year of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, Rick and Jessica celebrated Rick’s clean scans. Unfortunately, in 2020, Rick’s cancer returned. Two weeks prior to discovering the recurrence, an immunotherapy treatment was approved by the FDA to treat Rick’s type of colon cancer. Fortunately, Rick qualified for this more targeted treatment – it has allowed him to have a better quality of life. Nearly a year and a half after starting immunotherapy, Rick’s scans continue to be very encouraging, and he experiences no side effects.

Swim Across America grant funding played a significant role in the FDA approval of several immunotherapy treatments, including the one Rick is receiving. Since our inception in 1987, Swim Across America has granted more than $100 million in grants leading to advances in immunotherapy, screening and detection methods, patient programs, and helping to pioneer personalized medicine.

On behalf of Rick and Jessica, and so many others you have helped, thank you for your generosity. We look forward to seeing you and learning your story as we #MakeWavesToFightCancer. You can view our schedule and learn more at swimacrossamerica.org

With gratitude,

Rob Butcher
Swim Across America | CEO