TEAM CAROLYN HONORS ONE OF THEIR OWN IN NASSAU/SUFFOLK-SOUND TO COVE

Posted on June 22, 2023August 1, 2023 Posted in #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, Fundraising, Nassau/Suffolk - Sound to Cove, Top Fundraisers, Uncategorized, wave makerTagged fundraise, nassau-suffolk, swim across america1 Comment

Steve Chestler gives new meaning to the phrase Swim Across America “champion.”

“The 2022 Nassau/Suffolk-Sound to Cove charity swim was the most amazing event I have ever been to. Hearing doctors and researchers speak about the work they are doing to find a cure for this devastating disease is something my children and I will never forget. It’s what keeps Team Carolyn so focused and determined on fundraising as much as possible.”

This year is Steve and Team Carolyn’s second year supporting Swim Across America and they have made a remarkable impact in those two years raising over $400,000 combined. In 2022, Team Carolyn was the number two fundraising team for Swim Across America.

The team is named in memory of Steve’s wife, Carolyn Jaenisch, who was diagnosed with Terminal Adenocarcinoma in July 2021 and passed away just six months later. Carolyn and Steve have a daughter, Caitlin, and a son, Gregory. Carolyn was an avid swimmer who swam with Long Island Masters and Excel Swim Club for 21 years on Long Island. Read more about the Chestler family here.

“After Carolyn’s passing, getting involved with Swim Across America felt like the most meaningful way our family and friends could honor her and keep her spirit alive,” said Steve.

“The community we have found in Swim Across America is unbelievable. We all want to help and do something for our loved ones, and we are all fighting for a cure. We have a huge extended family here and we are in this together.”

To further this feeling of “extended family,” this year, Team Carolyn is fundraising in support of one of their own team members, Derrick Edwin. Derrick is a seasoned triathlete who unknowingly competed in an Iron Man competition in September 2021 while having colon cancer.

Though Derrick’s Stage 4 diagnosis was shocking, he maintains a positive attitude and upbeat spirit throughout his immunotherapy treatment. And when his friend, Steve, asked him to join Team Carolyn, it was a no-brainer.

“Swim Across America has provided me with an unbeatable support system. I hope to spread hope and positivity to all my cancer warriors fighting this disease. We can beat this!” said Derrick.

If you are moved to support Team Carolyn, you can donate here.

Swim Across America 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.

TEAM HOPE MARKS 20th ANNIVERSARY OF MAKING WAVES TO FIGHT CANCER

Posted on June 12, 2023July 5, 2023 Posted in #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, Top Fundraisers, UncategorizedTagged cancer research, fundraising, swim across americaLeave a comment

When you hear Mike Ford talk about TEAM HOPE, one word comes up over and over again – family. In fact, the word is a part of their “rallying cry.”

“We are swimmers, we are friends, we are families…We are TEAM HOPE!”

Mike was inspired to create TEAM HOPE in 2004 in honor of three close friends who were battling cancer. [Read the full history here.] This year marks TEAM HOPE’s 20^th year participating in Swim Across America events and the team has goal of raising $100,000. Since their first event, the team has raised a remarkable $1.4 million to support local beneficiaries.

“We’ve been together a long time. We’ve accomplished a lot over the years,” said Mike. “And, in so doing, we have become one big family.”

Joining TEAM HOPE becomes a bit of a family tradition for its ever-growing roster of members. Many of whom join because they have a loved one who is fighting cancer and they want to take action to help them in some way.

“If you look at a picture from our very first year, you’ll see some of the same faces in a picture from 2022. You’ll see even more faces because as everyone grows up and grows their families, they become members of TEAM HOPE.”

This “family history” is captured each year in the dedication board Mike has at the events.

“We all write down who we are swimming for, who we are honoring. The younger team members write down, ‘Grandpa’ or ‘Aunt Judy,’ and being a part of TEAM HOPE makes them feel like they are doing something important to help their family members. It makes them feel like they are making a difference.”

Over the years, members of TEAM HOPE have honored many, including Mike’s wife, Patti, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2005 and passed in 2016 after a courageous decade-long battle.

“Unfortunately, we aren’t unique. Everyone is fighting for someone. What makes us special is that we do it as a family.”

If you are moved to support TEAM HOPE to help them reach their $100,000 goal, you can donate here. Want to become part of the TEAM HOPE family? Join the team here.

What’s in Your SAA College Ambassador Member Kit?

Posted on May 10, 2023 Posted in #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, Fundraising, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Swim Across America College Ambassadors are are part of the next generation of leaders. They support SAA by helping to engage the younger audience, promoting the Swim Across America mission and brand and encouraging their local communities’ involvement. Once you have been selected, we’ll reach out to congratulate you and send you an SAA College Ambassador’s Member Kit in the mail so you can show off your SAA spirit and be set up for success.

Here’s what you can expect in the mail:

1. Swim Across America Trucker Hat

Enjoy the exclusive Swim Across America College Ambassador’s Trucker Hat with our popular Wave logo. Perfect to throw on while enjoying time outside or walking to class.

2. Swim Across America Water Bottle

Stay hydrated and show your support with your new SAA branded water bottle.

3. Swim Across America Stickers & Buttons

Show your love on your car, laptop, backpack or jacket with the sticker and button we’ll be sending to help you spread the word about SAA!

4. Boost Your Fundraising Tips Sheet

Utilize these resources to help boost your fundraising and make a bigger impact!

Finding a Lifeline in the Swim Across America Community

Posted on May 8, 2023August 21, 2023 Posted in #MakingWavesToFightCancer, college swimming, Fundraising, Messages of Hope, Top Fundraisers, UncategorizedTagged boston, cancer, cancer research, fundraising, media, swim across america, swimming2 Comments

Dalton Sousa
Swim Across America – Boston
Hometown: Carver, MA
5 years supporting Swim Across America
Age: 23

Dalton Sousa is no stranger to swimming or Swim Across America. He is a long-time supporter of Team Roethke at Swim Across America – Nantucket and swam with the Roger Williams University swim team at Swim Across America – Rhode Island.

“The mission to ‘End Cancer’ is something I have felt connected to for years. My hometown and many of my closest friends have been personally affected by cancer. I remember crying in class after hearing that one of my friends and classmates had passed away from cancer in 2015. He fought bravely at Dana-Farber Medical Center.”

It wasn’t until this year that he had an even more personal reason to dive in. In January 2023, Dalton’s mother, Toni, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

“Now, Swim Across America is so much more than just a worthy cause for me. It has become a lifeline, a community of friends and family, who have rallied around a similar goal to end cancer.”

Dalton set out to raise funds in honor of his mom, who is being treated at Beth Israel Hospital-Plymouth. He created Team Sousa in January and in a few weeks, they raised over $11,000.

Toni’s spirits are high and it’s clear this tight-knit family is in the fight together and keeping a positive outlook.

“My mom has been one of the biggest influences on my life that has allowed me to be as successful as I have been. Swimming has been a huge part of my life. Whether it was as a swim parent, a New England official, or a fan my mom always tried to support everyone. She taught me to make the best out of difficult situations.”

Swim Across America Nantucket Honored to Extend Support to Mass General Cancer Center

Posted on April 27, 2023May 9, 2023 Posted in #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, UncategorizedTagged beneficiaries, boston, nantucket, swim across americaLeave a comment

Mass General Cancer Center Joins the Swim’s Other Beneficiaries Nantucket Cottage Hospital Oncology Program and Palliative and Supportive Care of Nantucket.

NANTUCKET, Mass., April 26, 2023 – Swim Across America Nantucket is pleased to announce that Mass General Cancer Center will join Nantucket Cottage Hospital’s Oncology Program and Palliative and Supportive Care of Nantucket as a beneficiary of the Swim Across America Nantucket Open Water Swim event. The Swim Across America Nantucket open water swim has been held each Summer since 2012 and makes waves in the fight against cancer. This year’s event will be Saturday, July 22, 2023.

In addition to continuing to support the two local beneficiaries, Mass General will provide a research component to the list of services supported by Swim Across America Nantucket’s annual fundraising event. Dr. Bryan Choi, MD, PhD, is an attending neurosurgeon in the Department of Neurosurgery and the Stephen E. and Catherine Pappas Center for Neuro-Oncology at Mass General. He specializes in surgical care for patients with benign and malignant brain tumors. During his neurosurgery residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital, he pursued a postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. Marcela Maus, focused on developing CAR T-cell therapies for cancer. He also leads a research laboratory with the goal of developing the next generation of cell therapies and clinical trials in neuro-oncology.

“We are very honored to have the opportunity to support Dr. Choi in his work in CAR T-cell therapies,” said Jim Pignato, co-event director of Swim Across America Nantucket. “Adding a funding arm with a research component has been something we’ve been exploring. Teaming up with Dr. Choi and Mass General Cancer Care is a natural fit.”

“Dr. Choi’s work is groundbreaking and holds the potential to shift the paradigm of treatment for an otherwise devastating disease,” said Keith Erickson, director of development at Mass General Hospital.

“Our vision is to continue to help serve the Nantucket patient, from diagnosis through treatment, while also offering this very important research component, that will help all patients, not only those on Nantucket”, said Jill Roethke, co-event director of Swim Across America Nantucket.

This announcement comes on the heels of a banner 10th year for Swim Across America Nantucket, where more than $600,000 was raised for on-island cancer services and patient care in 2022.

Swim Across America was founded in 1987 with its first open water event in Long Island Sound. Since that time, the nonprofit organization has raised more than $100 million to fight cancer. In its 36 years of “making waves to fight cancer,” more than 100,000 swimmers and 150 Olympians have swum the circumference of the earth three times, uniting a movement to fight cancer that has created a groundswell of support spanning all generations. Today, more than 24 communities hold open water swims and charity pool swims each year, from Nantucket to under the Golden Gate Bridge, which support innovative cancer research, detection and patient programs.

Swim Across America’s funding of clinical trials for patients helped contribute to four FDA approved life-saving immunotherapy cancer treatments: Yervoy, Opdivo, Tecentriq and Keytruda. More than 60 scientific grants are funded each year and there are now ten dedicated Swim Across America Labs at major institutions including: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, John Hopkins Medicine Baltimore, Rush University Medical Center Chicago, Baylor Scott & White Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center in Dallas, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York, Infusion Center at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Lounge at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland and San Francisco, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

To register to swim, volunteer or donate, please visit www.swimacrossamerica.org/nantucket. Instagram: @saanantucket Facebook: @saanantucket.Swim Across America Nantucket

About Swim Across America Nantucket:

Since 2012, Swim Across America Nantucket has raised more than $4 million for its beneficiaries: Nantucket Cottage Hospital and Palliative and Supportive Care of Nantucket. Each year Swim Across America Nantucket is proud to host more than 400 swimmers and volunteers, spectators and supporters, as well as Olympians near and far at the charity swim. This year’s swim will take place on Saturday July 22, 2023, at Jetties Beach on the island of Nantucket.

Promising CAR T-cell Therapy for Ependymoma Funded by Swim Across America-Boston Launches Phase I Study

Posted on April 19, 2023 Posted in Uncategorized1 Comment

With early funding from Swim Across America-Boston, Dr. Bryan Choi’s research on tandem CAR T-cell therapy for ependymoma has been approved for a Phase I trial. The first human patient will be infused at the end of April 2023.

Dr. Choi, a neurosurgeon and neuro-oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, presented an overview of his research path in an exclusive briefing to Swim Across America participants on Friday, April 14, 2023. He explained that he is particularly interested in finding nonsurgical, nonconventional means of treating solid tumor cancers like ependymoma, an aggressive solid tumor brain cancer that occurs most often in young children.

CAR T-cell therapy, a type of gene therapy that engineers a patient’s own T-cells (a type of white blood cells) to identify and attack cancer cells by way of their antigen markers, has shown promise in the treatment of blood cancers. The research team created dual antigen-targeting tandem CAR T (TanCART) cells to target heterogeneous solid tumors. Dr. Choi’s research shows that this type of therapy can also be manipulated to treat solid tumors like ependymoma.

At the suggestion of Dr. Howard Weinstein, Unit Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Mass General for Children and long-time Swim Across America partner, Dr. Choi applied for a Swim Across America research grant through the internal competitive bid program at Mass General for Children.

Through Dr. Choi’s research, CAR T-cell therapy is now showing promise in treating solid tumor cancers like ependymoma – so much promise that it has been approved for a Phase I trial in human patients.

Without the Swim Across America grant, Dr. Choi said, his research likely would have remained unfunded, and neither the FDA approval nor the Phase I Study approval, which is funded by industry investors, would have been possible.

Janel Jorgensen McArdle, Chief Operating Officer of Swim Across America, pointed out that Dr. Choi’s research falls in the “sweet spot” of the high risk, high reward research that Swim Across America is pursuing. “This promising research aligned perfectly with the opportunities that Swim Across America seeks to support. We are so excited that SAA funding could help accelerate it to patient trials.”

After his highly informative presentation, Dr. Choi and his lab colleagues gave us a private tour of their existing lab spaces, as well as their new expanded lab, which is in the finishing stages of build-out.

It was an exciting visit for Swim Across America news and for all of the Swim Across America-Boston and Nantucket supporters who were present!

Swim Across America visitors: Michele Fox, Patty Gienke, Bob Hackett, Liam Hackett, Steven Laduzinski, Jamie Mannion, Janel Jorgensen McArdle, Alex Meyer, Rick Osterberg, Shep Perkins, Jill Roethke, Mike Ryan, Jessica Stokes, Kitty Tetreault.

SWIM ACROSS AMERICA – FLORIDA KEYS IN THE NEWS

Posted on April 18, 2023April 19, 2023 Posted in #DefeatCancer, Events, Family Tree, Fundraising, Labs, News, olympians, UncategorizedTagged cancer, media, News, olympians, swim across america, televisionLeave a comment

Read or watch local stories featuring the Swim Across America-Florida Keys community to learn about their impact. Learn more about the event and beneficiary, Miami Cancer Institute, at swimacrossamerica.org/floridakeys.

SWIM ACROSS AMERICA – NASHVILLE IN THE NEWS

Read or watch local stories featuring the Swim Across America-Nashville community to learn about their impact. Learn more about the event and beneficiary, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, at swimacrossamerica.org/nashville.

Swim Across America Blog – SAASwim.com

Finding New Meaning in Swim Across America Participation

WTVF – Nashville Scripps (NewsChannel 5)

Swimmers unite during Swim Across America to raise money for local cancer research

EssentiallySports.com

Hundreds of Swimmers Aim to Raise $75,000 for a Noble Cause

NASHVILLE PATCH

April 16 Swim Across America Nashville Makes Waves to Fight Cancer

Finding New Meaning in Swim Across America Participation

Posted on April 5, 2023 Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, event directors, UncategorizedTagged cancer, cancer research, fundraise, swim across america1 Comment

Susan McPherson

Swim Across America – Nashville

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

6 years with Swim Across America

Age: 79

Susan McPherson was no stranger to Swim Across America, but her contributions were always in honor of other family members and friends who had cancer diagnoses. After a shocking diagnosis in December 2020, the reason to support Swim Across America-Nashville now became much more personal for Susan.

“I went to the doctor because I was experiencing new-onset shortness of breath and found out I was anemic. After additional tests, the doctors told me they found a large tumor and multiple metastases in my abdomen and that I had stage four colon cancer.”

Susan’s particular genetic profile made her a candidate for immunotherapy. She began treatment at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, which is the beneficiary of the Swim Across America-Nashville Pool Swim.

“In fact, the type of immunotherapy I was given – Keytruda – was developed in the Swim Across America funded lab at the Johns Hopkins Cancer Center! What an incredibly serendipitous moment it was when I realized that the treatment that could help save my life was initially funded through Swim Across America fundraising events.”

Susan received treatment for two years and is now cancer-free. And her participation in this year’s Swim Across America – Nashville event is that much more poignant.

Susan’s daughter-in-law, Chris, is one of the event directors and coaches at the Ensworth Natatorium where the event is held. Her son, John, is a cardiologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. For the second year, Chris and John will swim with their team “Chris’ Cancer Crushers” in their endeavor to “make waves to fight cancer.”

Young Teen Recognizes Swim Across America’s Impact Within His Home

Posted on April 5, 2023June 26, 2023 Posted in #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, Uncategorized, wave makerTagged cancer, cancer research, fundraise, swim across america1 Comment

Owen Johnson

Swim Across America – Charleston-Kiawah

Hometown: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

3 years supporting Swim Across America

Age: 13

Owen Johnson is just 13 years old, and he already recognizes the impact funds raised at a Swim Across America charity swim have on patients and families.

“My dad, Brad Johnson, was diagnosed with stage four head and neck cancer before I was born. He survived because of new medicines discovered by cancer researchers, like the ones funded by Swim Across America.”

In 2020, the then-11-year-old swimmer had the idea to give his dad an unforgettable Christmas present. Instead of exchanging gifts, Owen set up a GoFundMe in honor of his dad’s fight against cancer. Owen raised over $2,000 and since then, has raised another $4,000 through his participation in the Swim Across America – Charleston-Kiawah events.

“I know Swim Across America gives money directly to researchers. My dad was the Event Director for Swim Across America – Charleston-Kiawah for a few years, and Swim Across America gives grants to cancer researchers at Hollings Cancer Center in Charleston where we live.”

This year, Owen and Brad will swim together at the Swim Across America – Charleston-Kiawah event on June 10. They are also celebrating a remarkable milestone. Brad has been cancer-free for 20 years.

“To celebrate 20 years and all the things my dad has accomplished since beating cancer – Ironman events, marathons, Triathlon World Championships, having a family – we are teaming up to raise $20,000 for the 2023 Swim Across America – Charleston-Kiawah event.”

“I hope that by raising money for Swim Across America, donations will help researchers get the funding they need to help more people like my dad.”

Swim Across America Blog – SAASwim.com

Keys Life Magazine

UPPER KEYS WEEKLY (Page 27)

KEYS WEEKLY

Swim Across America Blog – SAASwim.com

WTVF – Nashville Scripps (NewsChannel 5)

EssentiallySports.com

NASHVILLE PATCH