Greenwich Residents Swim & Volunteer with Swim Across America Fairfield County to Fight Cancer

America Fairfield County open water swim. Mike’s wife Shân is a stage IV colon cancer patient. When diagnosed in 2014, Shân was given less than a five percent chance of surviving five years. Today, five years after enduring 42 chemotherapy treatments and three radiation treatments, Shân is enrolled in a groundbreaking immunotherapy clinical trial at Yale University. She is the first person in the world to receive three immunotherapy medications simultaneously — and progress is thankfully being seen. Shân’s first scan after eight weeks showed nearly a ten percent reduction in tumor size. Shân’s subsequent scans have shown further small reductions in tumor size. Shân’s story is just one of the many that will inspire the more than 300 swimmers and 100 volunteers on Saturday, June 22, at the 13th annual Swim Across America Fairfield County open water swim.

“It’s amazing to note that the last few years have seen an exponential growth in the number of clinical trials available for many different types of cancer with some extraordinary curative results,” said Mike Brock. “This gives hope where there was none before. But many of these novel clinical trials and treatments require and continue to require funding. That’s why it’s so important to fund events like Swim Across America Fairfield County and the swim's beneficiary the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT).” In addition to being the keynote speaker, Mike Brock and his youngest daughter Brontë, will be swimming in the open water swim and his wife Shân will be volunteering as a kayaker, keeping watch over the swimmers. “Swimming and kayaking are our small contribution to helping make waves in the fight against cancer,” said Shân.

On June 22, 2019, more than 300 swimmers and 100 volunteers will participate in the 13th annual Swim Across America Fairfield County open water swim. The swim takes place in Long Island Sound on the Old Greenwich/Stamford border at the headquarters of the swim’s beneficiary, the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT). This year is expected to be bigger than ever with a goal of raising more than $300,000 to go toward breakthrough cancer gene therapy research. While the swim attracts swimmers and volunteers from throughout Fairfield County and the tri-state area, the Greenwich community has always been a big supporter of this swim and its mission to raise funds to fight cancer.

Sean Dowling of Old Greenwich is swimming and his company, The Dowling Group, is one of the sponsors of the swim, helping provide towels to all of the swimmers. “I swim to give back all the great things swimming has given me,” said Sean. “My mother is five years out from her last cancer diagnosis. My wife Jessica’s aunt was taken too early by the disease. I believe that the research ACGT is doing will be directly responsible for finding a cure to cancer. I swim for everyone that will benefit from ACGT’s work.” 

John Merrill of Old Greenwich will be swimming three miles on Saturday and his two daughters and son will be swimming the 1.5 mile and half-mile swims. John noted, “I first became involved with Swim Across America in 2010 when a family friend was battling cancer and our neighborhood community rallied to support her in her fight. As we set out for the swim one of the speakers encouraged us to take in the freedom along with the slight unease of open water swimming. She also suggested that we find a moment during the swim to pause and float on our backs to look at the sky and reflect on those in our lives affected by cancer. I took the coaching to heart and it changed my life. Swim Across America has not only been rewarding to be a part of because it enables me to join the fight against cancer, but it has also been a special, very important way for me to keep alive and cherish the memories of loved ones who were taken by cancer. Swim Across America Fairfield County is also a channel for me to focus on loved ones battling cancer and a reminder of the preciousness of life. The organization is a window into the cutting-edge science and the extraordinary doctors involved in battling cancer. There are too many friends and family members either battling or who have been lost to cancer. Swim Across America Fairfield County inspires the fight and supports progress in cancer research. It’s a community of support, inspiration, and celebration that I’m proud to be part of. I swim for Bobby, Virginia, Kelly, Nancy, Julian and Bobbie.”

This year will be Melissa Norrgard’s 13th year volunteering at every Swim Across America Fairfield County open water swim. Melissa stated, “I have worked closely with the marketing and fundraising efforts of the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) for the past 15 years. I have also been a huge champion of the immunotherapy advancements the ACGT scientists have made, in part with the funds raised through Swim Across America Fairfield County. My volunteer efforts with the Swim these past 13 years are just a small way I can champion their discoveries for today and the future. And honor all our family and friends who have suffered with various cancers. I lost my father to melanoma. My brother has battled advanced stage testicular cancer and my mother had breast cancer and a bone marrow cancer. Let’s make waves in the fight against cancer!”

Dave Ward, also of Old Greenwich, swims for his mother-in-law, Linda Panek. Dave said, “Linda is one of the strongest people I know, the pillar that holds our family together. She is our matriarch and the best grandmother. When she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer nine years ago, she didn’t let it affect her daily life and relationships. Throughout her treatments, she stayed strong and continued being an amazing role model while keeping her full-time job. I was marveled by her drive, motivation, and the strength she gave to beating cancer which she finally did. I started swimming with Swim Across America because of her and all of the survivors fighting every day. This year has become even more profound as Linda was recently diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic cancer. Our family is pulling together and Linda is staying strong. I am grateful for Swim Across America Fairfield County and ACGT so cancer research and treatment programs can continue to benefit people like Linda and other fighters.”

Clayton Graham of Old Greenwich has several personal reasons why he is swimming, as he is swimming on Team Julian for family friend Julian Fraser who lost his battle with sarcoma in 2017 at the age of 20. Clay’s number one reason to swim though is his younger sister Nicole, who was diagnosed with leukemia at age 16 in 2012. After being cancer-free for almost five years, Nicole relapsed last year and had to undergo treatment again. “This time around though, Nicole had more options available for new and innovative treatments, including a new immunotherapy treatment that wasn’t available when she was first diagnosed,” said Clay Graham. “By participating in Swim Across America, my hope is to fund the research that will make sure that cancer diagnosis is no longer something someone will have to hear in their lifetime. For the seventh year, I am challenging myself by swimming in the Fairfield County Open Water Swim, and raising as much money to fight cancer as I can.”

"Funding organizations like ACGT with Swim Across America Fairfield County is a game changer for cancer treatment," noted Michele Graham, co-chair of Swim Across America Fairfield County and mother to Clayton and Nicole. "At the forefront of cell and gene therapy is immunotherapy, which aims to awaken the immune system to the threat of cancer and deactivate the inhibitors that block the invasion of killer T-cells. The long-term goal is to develop treatments that attack only cancer cells, eliminating adverse effects on the body. ACGT is dedicated to this type of research.”

In the past 12 years, the Swim Across America Greenwich-Stamford event has raised more than $3.8 million for crucial support of the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT). One hundred percent of all Swim Across America Greenwich-Stamford funds donated to ACGT go directly to support cancer cell and gene therapy research. The Swim has supported nine different scientists over the past 11 years. This year’s Swim will raise funds to support ACGT-funded research grants with Greg Delgoffe, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, who is working on immune-based therapy and vaccines for melanoma, and Noriyuki Kasahara, MD, PhD, of the University of California, San Francisco, who is working on virotherapy for brain cancer.

While Swim Across America is a national organization and offers 20 open water swims from Boston Harbor to under the Golden Gate Bridge, its roots are firmly anchored in Connecticut and along the shores of Long Island Sound. Darien, Connecticut, resident Matt Vossler and his lifelong friend and college roommate Jeff Keith founded Swim Across America in 1987.

Nationally, Swim Across America has raised more than $80 million in the fight against cancer. More than 120 Olympians support Swim Across America, including Michael Phelps, Craig Beardsley, Donna De Varona (a honorary Greenwich-Stamford co-chair), Rowdy Gaines, Janel Jorgensen McArdle (who grew up in Ridgefield, Connecticut), Bobby Hackett, Ryan Lochte, Glenn Mills, Christina Teuscher and many more.

Co-chairs of the annual Swim Across America Greenwich-Stamford swim are Michele Graham, whose 22 year-old daughter Nicole recently finished undergoing treatment for relapsed leukemia, and Nancy Carr, who has been a long-time land volunteer and has spear-headed the Make Waves retailer and restaurant days for Swim Across America Fairfield County. The annual Make Waves Day will be held on June 20th, two days before the open water swim, where area stores and restaurants will donate a portion of the day’s sales to Swim Across America Fairfield County.

Honorary co-chairs of the Swim Across America Greenwich-Stamford event are Olympic Gold medalist Donna de Varona (1960, 1964 Olympics) and her husband John Pinto of Greenwich. Olympic swimmers Craig Beardsley (1980) and Cristina Teuscher (1996) will also be at the swim and Cristina will be diving in the water with the rest of the swimmers.

For those interested in participating in Saturday's Swim, visit swimacrossamerica.org/fairfieldcounty. It's never too late to donate, swim or volunteer. Pool swims and virtual swims are also available and there are pool swims scheduled at the Riverside Yacht Club on July 14, the Rocky Point Club and the Greenwich Water Club later this summer, and a rowing event with the Greenwich Crew team at the Greenwich Water Club on September 15. Follow Swim Across America Fairfield County on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @SAAFairfieldCo.

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Submitted by Cos Cob, CT

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