YEAR’S BOSTON OPEN WATER SWIM. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO JUMP. JUMP IN THE WATER AND AN EVEN BETTER DAY TO RAISE MONEY FOR CANCER RESEARCH. THREE. TWO. ONE. AT CASTLE ISLAND IN SOUTH BOSTON, MORE THAN 300 SWIMMERS ARE MAKING WAVES TO FIGHT CANCER. IT’S PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT SOMETHING. CURING CANCER. CANCER SURVIVORS. BUT ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I LOST MY SON TO CANCER THREE YEARS AGO. HE WAS TREATED AT DANA-FARBER AND THEY DID THE BEST THEY COULD. BUT YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS FIGHTING, WE WE LOST THE BATTLE. SO WE LIKE TO GIVE BACK AND DO THINGS LIKE THIS. BOSTON OPEN WATER SWIM ORGANIZED BY SWIM ACROSS AMERICA, BENEFITS DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE AND MASS GENERAL CANCER CENTER. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1996, THIS CHARITY SWIM HAS RAISED MORE THAN $7 MILLION. THERE’S BEEN A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT OVER THE LAST 10 TO 20 YEARS. WE’RE NOW AT ABOUT 85 TO 90% CURE RATES FOR KIDS WITH CANCER AND TO BE HONEST, SWIM ACROSS AMERICA HAS MADE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THAT ADVANCE FOR SWIM ACROSS AMERICA CEO AND OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST JANELLE MCARDLE. THE MISSION IS PERSONAL. IT’S REALLY NICE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A SPORT THAT WAS REALLY GOOD TO ME AND BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK, AND THIS YEAR, UNFORTUNATELY, CANCER’S HIT REALLY HARD. I HAD MY HUSBAND HAS HAS HAD CANCER LAST YEAR AND MY SISTER WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE FOUR METASTATIC BREAST CANCER. SO YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE OUR STORIES. THE EVENT FEATURES A HALF MILE, ONE MILE AND TWO MILE SWIM. SO WHETHER YOU’RE A LIFELONG SWIMMER OR JUST GETTING STARTED, YOU CAN MAKE A SPLASH AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IT’S REALLY MOTIVATING AND UPLIFTING TO BE JUST SURROUNDED BY SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME, UH, SAME GOAL TO RAISE MONEY FOR CANCER AWARENESS. SO FAR, THE EVENT HAS RAISED MORE THAN HALF $1 MILLION AND COUNTING IN SOUT
Hundreds dive into water in Boston for cancer research
Over 300 swimmers gathered at Castle Island in South Boston on a sunny day to participate in the Boston Open Water Swim, an event aimed at raising funds for cancer research. Organized by Swim Across America, the charity swim benefits the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Mass General Cancer Center.Participants in the event swam various distances, from a half-mile to 2 miles, all with a shared goal: to fight cancer. “It’s people that care about something: curing cancer. Cancer survivors, but actually doing something about it,” said JC Clavin, who was swimming in honor of his sister.The event held special meaning for many, including Kathleen Kavaney, who lost her son to cancer three years ago. “He was treated at Dana-Farber … we lost the battle. We like to give back and do things like this,” Kavaney said.Since its inception in 1996, the Boston Open Water Swim has raised over $7 million for cancer research. Dr. Howard Weinstein, director of the childhood cancer program at Mass General Hospital for Children, explained how much of an impact the event has had. “There’s been a dramatic improvement over the last 20 years,” Weinstein said. “We’re now at about 85 to 90% cure rates in kids with cancer, and to be honest, Swim Across America has made a major contribution to that advance.”The mission of Swim Across America is deeply personal for its CEO, Olympic silver medalist Janel McArdle. “It’s really nice to have the opportunity to take a sport that was really good to me and be able to give back,” McArdle said. “This year, unfortunately, cancer has hit really hard. My husband had cancer last year, and my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. We all have our stories.”The event, which continues to grow in participation and impact, raised over $500,000 this year alone, with donations still coming in.”It’s really motivating and uplifting to be surrounded by so many people that have the same goal — to raise money for cancer awareness,” said Ariana Poulin of Team Sousa.Participants and organizers alike made it clear that every stroke counts in the ongoing battle against cancer.
Over 300 swimmers gathered at Castle Island in South Boston on a sunny day to participate in the Boston Open Water Swim, an event aimed at raising funds for cancer research.
Participants in the event swam various distances, from a half-mile to 2 miles, all with a shared goal: to fight cancer.
The event held special meaning for many, including Kathleen Kavaney, who lost her son to cancer three years ago.
“He was treated at Dana-Farber … we lost the battle. We like to give back and do things like this,” Kavaney said.
Since its inception in 1996, the Boston Open Water Swim has raised over $7 million for cancer research.
Dr. Howard Weinstein, director of the childhood cancer program at Mass General Hospital for Children, explained how much of an impact the event has had.
“There’s been a dramatic improvement over the last 20 years,” Weinstein said. “We’re now at about 85 to 90% cure rates in kids with cancer, and to be honest, Swim Across America has made a major contribution to that advance.”
The mission of Swim Across America is deeply personal for its CEO, Olympic silver medalist Janel McArdle.
“It’s really nice to have the opportunity to take a sport that was really good to me and be able to give back,” McArdle said. “This year, unfortunately, cancer has hit really hard. My husband had cancer last year, and my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. We all have our stories.”
The event, which continues to grow in participation and impact, raised over $500,000 this year alone, with donations still coming in.
“It’s really motivating and uplifting to be surrounded by so many people that have the same goal — to raise money for cancer awareness,” said Ariana Poulin of Team Sousa.
Participants and organizers alike made it clear that every stroke counts in the ongoing battle against cancer.
