Team Relay at Ensworth Natatorium to Benefit Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

Swim Across America, the nonprofit organization that makes waves to fight cancer by holding charity swims across the nation, will host the 5th annual Swim Across America – Nashville Pool Swim on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at the Ensworth Natatorium, 7401 Tennessee Highway 100, in Nashville. The community charity swim is a Team Relay event that welcomes swimmers of all ages and skill levels who are passionate about fighting cancer. Proceeds benefit Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, with a 2026 goal of raising $100,000 to support cancer care and research in Nashville. For registration and volunteer opportunities, or to support the swim with a tax-deductible donation, visit swimacrossamerica.org/nashville.

Established in 2022, Swim Across America – Nashville has raised more than $375,000 for Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, helping support cancer research, care and hope for individuals and families facing cancer.

For 23-year-old Aly Corb, an associate board member with Swim Across America and one of the planning committee members for the Nashville swim, the event is deeply personal. Aly, who currently lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, has been part of Swim Across America since she was just 8 years old and is now participating for her 16th year with the organization. One of the factors in her decision to attend college in Tennessee was the opportunity to help bring Swim Across America to the state. This year, she is diving in again to help organize the Nashville event at the Ensworth Natatorium.

Aly swims in memory of her brother, Michael, who sadly passed away from mixed lineage leukemia when he was just 9 months old. This past March, Aly and her family celebrated what would have been Michael’s 20th birthday; this December will mark 20 years without him.

“Although he lost his battle with cancer when he was only 9 months old, his memory is the reason this cause has meant so much to me and why Swim Across America has become such an important part of my life,” said Aly. “Every year when I swim, I do it in his honor, with the hope that together we can create a different future, one without cancer.”

Aly originally set her 2026 fundraising goal at $20,000 in honor of Michael’s 20th birthday. After quickly surpassing that goal and raising more than $25,000, she increased her goal to $30,000 — a threshold she has never reached before. Throughout the past 15 years with Swim Across America, Aly has raised more than $230,000 for cancer research, including $140,000 benefitting another Swim Across America  beneficiary, Johns Hopkins Medicine, where Michael was treated.

“No matter where I swim, the money will still be going to help those fighting for their lives,” said Aly. “Whether you swim, donate or volunteer, you are helping to make a difference and save the lives of current and future cancer patients.”

Aly’s connection to cancer extends beyond her brother. She also swims in memory of her great-aunt Alison, her uncle Michael, and former teammate Garrett Brown, and in honor of family members and friends who have faced cancer.

“To me, this event is not just about raising money to find a cure; it’s to honor and remember those who fought their battle and prevent other parents, siblings and families from going through the loss of a loved one,” noted Aly Corb. “That’s why I want to do everything I can so other families won’t go through what my family and I have gone through.”

Another swimmer, Tara Helmer, who lives in Nashville, also brings a deeply personal connection to the event. For Helmer, Swim Across America combines three important parts of her life: swimming, research, and her own experience as a cancer patient at Vanderbilt.

“I swim because Swim Across America combines three very important aspects of my life,” noted Tara. “My husband and daughter are very involved in the swim community. In fact, my husband is a former swimmer and current high school coach, and my daughter is a competitive swimmer. 

Tara has also worked in research administration at Vanderbilt for about 20 years, supporting researchers across the institution. She also has been a cancer patient at Vanderbilt since 2016, when she was initially diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. In 2023, she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.

“It has been incredibly rewarding to work with brilliant and passionate researchers across the institution over the years,” said Tara. “I am truly blessed and thankful for Dr. Park and all of the other incredible cancer researchers. I know far too many who have been diagnosed with cancer and have lost their lives to it. We’ve come such a long way, but still have a long way to go. Organizations like Swim Across America that support cancer research definitely help move the needle in the right direction. I also know that cancer patients like myself are always buying time until the next treatment or a cure is available. Having an organization dedicated to advancing cancer research is critical, and it gives cancer patients hope. If sharing my story helps even just one patient feel less scared, it is worth it.”

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 those interested in swimming, volunteering or donating to the 5th annual Swim Across America – Nashville Pool Swim on June 14, please visit swimacrossamerica.org/nashville.

Swim Across America, Inc. (SAA) is dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming-related events. With open water and pool swims in 27 communities across the United States – from Nantucket to under the Golden Gate Bridge – Swim Across America, along with the help of thousands of swimmers and volunteers nationwide, and past and current Olympians, is helping find better treatments and a cure for cancer through athleticism, community outreach and direct service. To learn more, visit swimacrossamerica.org.