This year, Marj celebrates 10 years of supporting Swim Across America.

“Swimming is what we do, so I feel it is a wonderful event to be involved with for swimmers,” said Marj. “It shows them the other side of swimming not just for competition but for helping others.”

In addition to her ties to swimming, Marj has a personal connection to Swim Across America’s mission.

“I swim because my mother was a cancer survivor. She had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and underwent an experimental bone-marrow transplant in 1988 at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and then went on to live 21 more years!”

Swim Across America – Boston has supported clinical research at Dana Farber Cancer Institute since its first swim in 1996.

Marj and her family went through a challenging time as her mother bravely battled cancer. This experience is what gives Marj the drive and purpose to swim with the Blue Wave Swim and Dive for Swim Across America – Fairfield County – for family and friends still who have battled or are still struggling with the disease.

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.

In Gretchen’s own words, “the mission of Swim Across America – Nantucket – to support cancer services and research – aligns perfectly with my professional and personal goals.”

Gretchen has worked at Nantucket Cottage Hospital since 2002 and has been involved with Swim Across America for over a decade. It wasn’t until 2014, when Keytruda, of which Swim Across America assisted funding research, first became available at NCH, that she truly felt the impact and miracle of groundbreaking immunotherapy research.

“When Keytruda became available in 2014 there were only two chemotherapy certified nurses at NCH. I was the first nurse at my facility to administer Keytruda for its first indication. I knew it was a pivotal time in cancer care.”

Gretchen watched how the introduction of immune therapy changed the course of patient’s lives and trajectory of cancer diagnosis from terminal to chronic and curative at times. Moreover, how immunotherapy redefined how we view cancer and how cancer treatments have expanded across multiple types of cancer and benefited millions of people.

“I have to emphasize to nurses beginning their practice after the dawn of immunotherapy exactly how groundbreaking it is. I use the term “miracle” when referring to some outcomes.”

This year, Gretchen will swim the 4-mile course at Swim Across America – Nantucket.

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.