Swim Across America, a nonprofit dedicated to raising money for cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming-related events, will host its seventh annual Seattle Open Water Swim on Saturday, Sept. 12. Swimmers have the opportunity to join U.S. Olympic medalists Nathan Adrian, Mary Wayte, Rick Colella, Margaret Hoelzer, Emily Silver, Dana Kirk, Wendy Boglioli and Jeff Float, with a special appearance by Canadian Olympian Chris Chalmers in swimming for a cause. Event proceeds will support immunotherapy research and pancreatic cancer treatment at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA).
Swimmers will have the choice of completing a two-mile, one-mile or half-mile swim in Lake Washington. The two-mile swim will begin at 8 a.m. at Mercer Island’s Mercerwood Shore Club, while the one-mile and half-mile swims begin at 8:30 a.m. at Luther Burbank Park’s swim beach. Both courses will finish on Mercer Island. All participants and volunteers are invited to a post-swim celebration and award ceremony at the swim beach.
Since launching the program 27 years ago, Swim Across America has raised more than $50 million nationally. In Seattle, more than $1.2 million has been raised since 2009 to help advance breakthrough treatments in SCCA’s Pancreas Cancer Specialty Clinic as well as immunotherapy protocols in SCCA’s Swim Across America Cellular Therapy Lab. Today, SCCA’s the Swim Across America Cellular Therapy Lab is a destination for cell processing and immunotherapy protocols.
“We are grateful for the continued support from Swim Across America and from swimmers and volunteers throughout the local community,” said Dr. Marc Stewart, medical director and vice president at SCCA. “Funds raised help accelerate research in pancreas cancer, an area of exceptional need, and immunotherapy, an area of great promise.”
Interested swimmers can learn more and register at www.swimacrossamerica.org/seattle. Each adult swimmer is responsible for a registration fee of $75, which applies toward a minimum fundraising requirement of $300. Swimmers can also form teams in honor or memory of someone who has battled cancer. Adult swimmers may participate alone or form groups to honor someone who has battled cancer. In 2014, participating swimmers raised more than $225,000 to support SCCA.
