New Rochelle Challenged Triathlete Florence Berger-Bordeau to Swim in 33rd Annual Swim Across America – Long Island Sound July 26

Posted on July 2, 2025 Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, Fairfield County, Long Island SoundTagged breast cancer, cancer, cancer research, health, media, News, swim across america, swimming, television1 Comment

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.

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 33^rd 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 Medicine Research 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.

Sarah Wiseman Makes Waves for SAA-Nashville and the Cancer Care Team Who Helped Her to Achieve Remission

Posted on March 6, 2025April 17, 2025 Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, beneficiaries, Fundraising, Making Waves With Hope, Messages of Hope, Nashville, Pool SwimsTagged breast cancer, cancer, cancer research, fundraising, health, media, self-care, swim across america, swimming, wellness1 Comment

When Sarah Wiseman was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2022, it came as a complete shock. Though her mother had been diagnosed with the same cancer in her 60s, Sarah’s genetic marker testing had come back negative. It was a routine mammogram that led to her breast cancer diagnosis.

“I had a routine mammogram that was concerning, which led to further diagnostic testing—an ultrasound and a biopsy,” Sarah explained.

“I had a seed inserted via biopsy, then underwent a partial mastectomy/lumpectomy and lymph node removal during surgery. One lymph node tested positive for metastasis. After healing from surgery, I received radiation treatment on my lymph nodes and left breast — 20 treatments in total. I’m grateful to have had access to a tumor test that evaluated the effectiveness of chemotherapy on my specific tumor. The results came back below the threshold for needing chemo!”

*Sarah Wiseman, a member of the SAA-Nashville committee, was declared in remission from breast cancer in 2023.*

This year, Sarah celebrates her remission and looks forward to swimming in the 4th Annual Swim Across America – Nashville. Funds raised from the event support Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC), where Sarah received treatment.

Sarah swam as a child but really fell into the sport watching her children swim on club teams and in college. Once she got the all-clear from her doctors, Sarah knew exactly how to get her strength back while doing something she loved.

“After I healed from my surgeries, I couldn’t wait to swim. I joined the local Masters team, and thanks to my friend Chris McPherson, I was introduced to Swim Across America,” said Sarah.

Chris McPherson, along with Alyssa Corb and Laurin Bobo, is a co-event director for SAA-Nashville.

“This community event is a wonderful way for me to give back to the doctors, nurses, and caregivers who took such great care of me during treatment,” Sarah said.

Swim Across America’s guiding principle is that money raised locally stays local — something that resonated deeply with Sarah. She takes great pride in supporting an organization that directly benefits her community, especially given her firsthand experience with how much cancer treatment has evolved.

*Members of the SAA-Nashville committee and researchers from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center present the fundraising total at the 2024 SAA-Nashville community pool swim.*

“In the past, having a positive lymph node would have meant automatic chemotherapy. Today, I am closely monitored by my medical oncologist and surgical oncologist at Vanderbilt Breast Center. And I’m proud to be raising funds for others in our community—people who will be treated at VICC, just like I was,” said Sarah. “I am a beneficiary of the incredible advances in cancer treatment. My mother didn’t have access to these options during her fight. She really struggled, and I believe newer-generation treatments made my journey much easier.”

Now in remission, Sarah is grateful that Swim Across America allows her to support two of her greatest passions: swimming and the cancer care team at VICC.

“I just feel incredibly blessed to have received the life-saving treatment I did,” Sarah shared. “Swimming has had the best impact on my health, and since my cancer diagnosis, I’ve embraced a much healthier lifestyle. I love that SAA allows me to give back through two of my favorite things: swimming and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.”

If you’re inspired to support Sarah and team Wisemans Wack Cancer, give here.

Welcome October!

Posted on October 10, 2013 Posted in UncategorizedTagged breast cancer, breast cancer awareness month, cancer, detection, early, facts, go pink, mammograms, october, pink, women with cancerLeave a comment

The Detection Plan

Our fight for the cure is for all types of cancer, but October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, so the SAA team has prepped some quick facts and figures on this disease, and a plan for early detection.

Did you know…

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and the second leading cause of death among them. One in eight will be diagnosed with it in their lifetime.

Here’s the good news, though: mortality rates have been declining in women since 1990, due in combination to awareness, earlier and better detection and increased treatment options. And when detected early (in the localized stage,) the 5-year survival rate for women is 98%. Progress is being made, and while you may not be able to prevent it, being able to detect breast cancer early could make a world of difference.

Detection plans are very important, and consist of self-exams, clinical exams and regular mammograms for women over the age of 40.

The Self-Exam

Recommended once per month, self-exams are responsible for about 40% of detection rates. Most people who are diagnosed with breast cancer only notice one or two of the symptoms at first, which include any new lumps, changes in skin color or texture, any discharge or any unexplained changes in size or shape of the breast.

The Clinical Exam

A medical professional that is trained to notice abnormalities should conduct a clinical exam at an annual checkup. The doctor would do a visual and manual check of both breasts, and assess anything suspicious if found.

Regular Mammograms

Mammograms are x-rays of the breasttissue. For women over the age of 40, the risk of breast cancer increases, and mammograms should be performed every 1 or 2 years. Often, the mammogram can detect a lump before it can be felt, which can be key to detecting abnormal cells at the earliest possible time.

Knowing the facts about breast cancer and the steps to early detection is important for both men and women. Awareness is the best defense, but we know it’s not enough. Educate yourself and contact a doctor if you suspect anything, and get involved with Swim Across America as we work towards a cure!